The Misadventures of Dave: Into the World of Puyo Puyo
by daveping243
Summary: The main character of this story, Dave, is found to be a discouraged individual in his world. One day, he sees a portal that transports him against his will to another world. This results his own body changing in age and appearance, then passing out. He discovers that he lies on grass from this said world, as well as a girl. [Rated M for major violence, strong language, and sex}
1. Chapter 1

** Author's Notes: Before this story begins, I do have to address a couple of things. For one, this story will not be for everyone. Themes that are in and/or suggested throughout this narrative will be dark and mature. These can include the following: Heavy violence, strong language, sexual activities, and complex feelings and/or development of specific characters. Secondly, I want the readers of this story to recognize that I am portrayed in this as a fictional persona of myself. This is done for a good reason, to avoid any sort of unnecessary confusion and bewilderment among said readers. Additionally, this story takes place about five years after the events of Puyo Puyo Tetris, but acts as though Puyo Puyo Chronicle's events never happened (this is done for multiple reasons). With all of that out of the way, I present The Misadventures of Dave: Into the World of Puyo Puyo.**

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

**A New Life?**

Hello, this is me, Dave. I am what you would call a _"shut-in"_. I hardly interact with anyone face-to-face, ever since becoming a young adult. Most of my current social stuff had to do with online platforms. I no longer had school to groan about, nor did I had a job to go to, life was easy for the most part. It was just staying in my room most hours of each and every day. However, I felt as though my existence didn't really serve much of a purpose in this manner, what am I doing with my life? Nothing productive, that's for sure… all that I was ever able to be good at was playing video games.

"Dammit, I feel useless to everyone else in this world…" I muttered to myself.

I wanted to get away from this boring and unfulfilling life, and all of the hell that surrounded it. Just while I was clenching my fists in sully and thinking to myself how pathetic I was as a disgrace to humanity… ***wrrr*** I heard a sound and then, manifesting from seemingly out of nowhere, a wormhole appeared in front of me. "A wormhole? This is rather strange… what is something like this doing here? Shouldn't this kind of stuff be in space?" I questioned to myself. As my curiosity piqued higher, the wormhole grew bigger, to about my height. It then progressed drag only me into it. "W-w-woooooah!" I exclaimed. The next thing that I knew, I was being carried through dimensions as it seemed. Along the way to my unknown destination, I saw weird blob-like entities floating around with… eyes? I said to myself "What the hell?" That wasn't the only phenomenon going on though. I felt my body changing in size, like as though I was losing a good several inches from my body height. The only things that I remember just before passing out were these two: I was having excruciating pain internally, and me uttering a scream. "Hrrrgh-! AAAAAAAAAH!"

I regained consciousness somewhere in a grove of grass, although not fully. I groaned with groggy eyes and blurred vision for a good thirty seconds, which someone close to me heard. In response to hearing me, they said "Oh good, you're awake!". From the sound of that voice, it was a girl's tone. As my vision cleared and I sat up on the grass, I saw the girl who responded to me. She seemed to be in high school, given her looks. She smiled at me as I sat there, confused as to where I was. This girl seemed to have a school uniform, consisting of a grey sweater with a yellow trim. She wore loose socks and red shoes in addition to that. Her hair was colored crimson red with twin ponytail curls, and it was decorated with a hair clip that looked rather familiar. The clip looked like one of those blobs that I saw earlier. I won't lie, she looked cute in my eyes. But, I noticed something soon after, actually a few things. My hands were slightly smaller, my body was shorter, and my looks appeared different as though I had belonged to this world. I murmured out the phrase "Who are you?". I realized then that my voice was also not as deep as before. It looked and sounded like I was seventeen in physical age again, what the hell is going on with me? I facially hid my surprised feelings from the girl by keeping a calm look. "Uuuh, my name is Dave…" I said soon after bringing out my question. "What's your name?" She responded happily with "The name's Ringo! Nice to meet you!"

Ringo helped me stand up as my legs didn't adjust to the new body size and she asked me "Where are you from exactly, did you get lost somewhere?". The only thing that I could tell her was that I was from another world. Then she proceeded to ask me whether or not that I suddenly came from a portal of sorts accidentally to get here. I answered her with a "Yes". Ringo told me that through the power of Puyos, these portals would appear. Their purpose, to forcibly transport people from world to world, that's how she summed it up. "What are Puyos?" I asked her. She showed me her hair clip, "That's what they're supposed to look like…" she answered. "Ah… I saw a few when I was traveling through a portal before I passed out." I explained. Ringo ran up to the top of a nearby hill and gestured me to come and take a look with her. As to what though, I was quite curious. What I had saw next was a sight to behold, a huge place with buildings of bright colors and bustling streets lived below this place. Not only that, there was a distinct looking shopping district. "I welcome you to Suzuran, Dave." "Woah…" She sure did live in a nice area…

We walked around town and Ringo showed me some of its districts that were worth noting. The most notable area of Suzuran that I noticed in particular, was the home of hers that she flashed at me... it was Ando Family Fresh Produce. "THIS is your home?" "Yep, it sure is..." She had this proud grin on her face after she confirmed it. I saw all the different types of fruit and other produce. Some I recognized like apples, but others not so much. There were simply too many to ask her about, so I opted not to for the sake of time and whatnot. "I guess your family is really passionate about this stuff..." "Oh, you have no idea, we are fanatics through presenting fresh foods to the public. And thus, we receive praise from many who are fortunate to stay in Suzuran!" She finishes going over the town with me at her side by presenting me to the school that she goes to. "This is Suzuran High School. I enjoy coming here to learn all that I can, as well as being with my friends. I finished up school about an hour before I found you lying on the grass, and it has been a little more than two hours since then… so I'm certain that all of the students are either back home or almost so since some can only walk to and from it." I replied to Ringo with "I see…" and then saw a worried look on her face. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Well, you look like a high school student yourself and other people saw you when I gave you a tour of Suzuran. You see, this community of citizens generally know each other very well. When they see an outsider like you, they question to themselves in their minds, _"Has that person(s) applied for school or a job around here recently?"_.We can't have people think that you, as a teen, skip out on school. It would create scandal in that case…"

I can tell the concern that rests in her voice, it's clear enough that she cares about me. Be as it may... even though I'm actually a young adult, thanks to that damn portal making me younger, I can't say that to anyone. All of this is out of my control at this point, the best that I can do is to just roll with it and see where it goes. "Alright then, I'll be a new transfer student as a junior since my age is seventeen. Whatever it takes to try and fit in with everyone else… Of course, we'll have to be able to get myself a background in terms of education. However, all of that was back in my world, completely different from this one. It'll be suspicious should I go and use the educational background from my world. What are we going to do?" I finished elaborating that situation to Ringo, and an idea seemed to spark from her. "I got it, there's a town in another world that Suzuran has great relations with, let's go!" I raised an eyebrow for a split second before getting dragged along by Ringo's surprisingly tight and strong grip. "W-w-woooooah! Slow down dammit!" I exclaimed as she dashed back over towards the area that I was found in.

Ringo slows down near the location and I felt a bit queasy from that high speed action. "Uuuuugh... " "You okay?" It took me some time to recover and stand up straight. "Yeah I'm fine, I've been through worse. What are you planning to do anyway?" "Oh you'll see…" _Gee, thanks for being vague about that_. I was clearly confused at this point until… ***wrrr*** I knew that sound from before... a portal? "We'll use this to get where we need to go" "You just summoned a portal at will? But… h-how?" She quickly said in response, "I'll explain it later Dave, just get in there already!" "Okay, Okay, I'm coming." We both jumped into the portal and traveled at an incredible speed. To not lose each other, we grabbed each others' hands and held on tight. The next bit of what happened, came in the form of seeing this other foreign land to me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: ****Primp Town and School Scheduling**

We landed safely at this new location, encircling us is a forest. At this point, the sun is about to go down and the place began to darken. Ringo gestured that I'd follow her in a specific pathway. "So, where are we heading to anyway?" I asked. "Outside this forest is a place known as Primp Town. Over there is a magic school the main magic instructor Ms. Accord, should be able to help us." I went on to question her. "How though, you're school is a normal high school while this town has a magic school. These two things aren't related to each…" Ringo stops me and pauses us from our running to give out clear reasons. "Okay, the reason why I stopped you there is because my school receives students from Primp Magic School, and vice versa. How this works is that half of each school day, students that go to both schools start out their day in Suzuran High School. Reason why that goes first for them is because learning academics first helps them jumpstart their brains and get them working. And then, these students go through the second half of their school day by learning about magic of all kinds. The academics help them try to understand certain complexities surrounding magic, such as reading comprehension and mathematical skill. And so, both schools go by just about the same schedule for class periods and the like."

I stood there for a second dumbfounded, she wasn't kidding when she said that these two places had a good relationship. "Come on! You can't stand there forever, we need to keep going!" "Oh, right!" I said. We kept running or what seem to be an eternity until we finally could see the school. "Before we enter the school, we need to find one of my good friends." "Uuuuh okay…" We looked for her friend and surprisingly, it didn't take very long. "Hey Amitie!" Ringo yelled out. That's when I saw Amitie, she had blond hair and a wore a peculiar hat. This hat looked like one of those Puyos. "Oh hey, Ringo! What brings you here at this time?" "You think that you could get us into the school? We need to find Ms. Accord, it's important for this guy here. Isn't that right Dave?" "Yes indeed." "Well first off hi Dave, I'm Amitie! Secondly, I'll let you guys in through here, you'll find Ms. Accord at the end of the main hallway." Well I guess that's a good thing. "Great, thank you Amitie, I'll tell you about Dave at another time. We then turned to enter the school and walked through until we saw the main hallway. The door at the end was labeled with the name "Ms. Accord". Ringo heads inside room first, I was quite hesitant and nervous to come in. Then I hear a voice in there. "Oh! Ringo… what made you come here at this time?" I assumed that it was Ms. Accord talking. "Oh well, I have something that you need to do for someone else to "transfer" to Suzuran High." I hear Ringo discussing to Accord the situation that I was currently in. "I see, could I see this person?" "Sure." Ringo replied. "C'mon! Get in here you, there's nothing to be stressed about… Ms. Accord, this is Dave." She pushes me inside, I stumble for a bit, and that's when I took my first look at Ms. Accord. She looked a nice person, and willing to help anyone unfortunate of getting into a jam. I saw Accord holding a black cat sleeping on her lap "Ah I see ***giggle***, he's quite the shy boy." "H-hey! I don't find that funny!" I yelled. At this point her giggling turned into full-blown laughter. I was seriously embarrassed through all of this shit and I'm sure that Ringo was too.

We all managed to regain our composure and got back on track with the problem at hand. "Alright, you think that you could help me not be an outlier in Suzuran Ms. Accord?" I practically sounded like I begged for it to happen. And so, I heard a slight bit of giggling from Accord again. Oh no… what was she planning for me? How mischievous could she be…? "Of course Dave, but you'll have to do something for me in return…" I knew it, she has something for me that I'm not looking forward to. "You must enroll for Primp Magic School, don't worry though, I'll have everything arranged so that you'll be one of those _"half-students"_." Well, not what I was expecting… And I now knew what term was used for students that went to both Suzuran High and Primp Magic School. "So I guess I'll be coming to Primp on the second half of school days…?" I assumed. "That's correct, very astute of you, I didn't expect you to know that already ***giggle*." **At this point I felt kind of relieved that she was impressed with my supposed intelligence, thanks for that background Ringo, I sure needed that. "Although here's some that you may not know that you probably should…" Accord's expression changed to be more relaxed. "What might that be?" I asked. "Well, we haven't had too many students that are in you age group… You'll probably be one of the oldest coming here each later half of school days. Not saying that there's only a select few, but just not numerous amounts of older teens have the desire to learn magic nowadays. So for that reason, since you're a _"rare specimen"_ in this sense Dave, I need you to break that mold. Teens these days are so preoccupied with their lives concerning other things. Sure, some of those things may be important, but magic holds a special place in these worlds. I would list reasons upon reasons regarding this, but none of us have that sort of time."

Accord asked me one final question of the night. "So Dave, could you be a angel and accept my part of this agreement? Who knows, you might meet some new friends to learn, grow, and bond with. Basically I'm saying that it'll be healthy for someone like you. Dave, you seem to be one with little social interaction, that could be disastrous you know…" I thought about it for a while, I had no magical power to utilize. But maybe, just maybe, there will be a workaround to that little issue. Plus, I needed friends to talk to face-to-face to fix up my social awkwardness. So, I decided to throw Accord a bone, or in this case, a fish since she has a cat. "Alright, you win, I accept your proposition Ms. Accord. I recognize that this will help me develop into a normal person in Suzuran's society." Her face lit up with excitement. "Oh boy, this is going to be so fun ***giggle***. Now I just need you signature as proof that you'll be a half-student for Suzuran High and Primp Magic Schools." I wrote my name in cursive with a pen from nearby. "Thank you very much Dave, this will be helpful for changing Primp Magic for the better." She smiled, although behind it was a little creepy as well. I shrugged it off and wondered what was to happen next. "I'll have this document delivered to Suzuran High, so that they can integrate you into the school as a half-student. They'll come up with a schedule for the first half of school days your… and then this school will do the same for the second, you start tomorrow by the way. Making up compromises to whatever you need as credits, all so you can graduate."

Accord finishes going over that important cluster of information. I was rather annoyed that I'll be experiencing school bullshit again. However, my world had no such thing as magic. Maybe this magic school could change my outlook on committing time to school stuff. "So are we done here?" Accord asked. "Yes we are, come on Dave, we're going back to Suzuran." "Uh... okay Ringo." We left Primp and returned to Ringo's home in Suzuran, Ando Family Fresh Produce. She told me to wait outside the storehouse, so I waited. At this point, the store is closed to the public. "'Kay, my family said that they'll kindly take care of you since you don't have a home to stay at. There's an empty that room that is available, I'll show you to it." Staying silent, I entered the store after Ringo. I finally saw her family, and likewise, they saw me. We greeted each other with nods of approval. Ringo's family consisted of her parents, and an older sister. I continue to walk with Ringo towards my new room. "Here it is Dave, your lodge." I wouldn't call it a _"lodge" _if I was her, this wasn't a cabin after all. I walked inside to inspect it more closely, it looks kind of like a room at a college dorm. Oh well, I'm not complaining, as long as it's organized and clean, I'm fine with it. The bed was a tad small, but was quite soft. The pillows as well, they were feather pillows to be specific. Good thing that I can expect myself to just pass out from soft comfort on my bed. Then saw Ringo start to head out of the room, but then she turned back to face me and said "You should expect there to be a uniform for you, every male student has to follow the Suzuran High dress code." What? I didn't know what she was talking about. What kind of school dress code only applies for guys? "Wait, what do you mean by... do female students not go by a similar uniform?" She shakes her head as a no. "No, the dress code works very differently for girls, as long as they look professional without revealing certain… _"assets"_, they can basically wear whatever they wish." I was slightly confused for a brief moment before I realized that by _"assets"_ she meant cleavage and stuff like that. Beyond that, I was further puzzled as to why they are so strict with the male student side of the dress code. I decide not to question her about that, and besides the school itself could probably do a better explanation of it than Ringo herself can. "Oh yeah, Dave? I wanted ask you something… something involving me trying to bring into Ms. Accord's room, why didn't you come in right away? There wasn't anything to be weary of, so I don't really see why…" I took a moment to collect my answer and replied "Okay, it's just that I didn't have too much social interaction in the past, Ringo. Even if I'm not too shy, I just don't have experience in the realm of actually talking to others. So I wouldn't really know how to start up a conversation without screwing it up most of the time." Ringo's expression devolved into sadness at that moment. "Oh, you poor thing… I should have been more cognizant of your feelings." It's clear that she is torn in her heart. "N-no, it's fine for that case, you didn't know, and I don't blame you for it. Now I should ask this really quick question just for the sake of convenience. Where's the bathroom? I want to take a quick shower so you can take as much time as you need. A girl shouldn't rush like a guy, I happened to be aware of little stuff like that. Ringo stands there for a bit, appearing rather surprised at what I said. "Well, thank you for your thoughtfulness, Dave! And, to answer your question…"

She shows me the way to the bathroom, it turned out that it wasn't too far away from my room. I also saw that Ringo's room was next to mine strangely enough. "Alrighty, thanks a bunch Ringo, but…" "But what?" I realize that there are things that I did not have, spare clothes. "Shit… I don't have spare clothes.. Oh, sorry for the language, I'm a bit too much like an adult in that way." "It's fine, I don't mind. I swear on an occasion too, not like it's irregular for people our age here…" As I sigh in grief, I hear a voice that I don't recognize. "Did a certain boy say that he needed spare clothes? Well, I have them for you here!" It was Ringo's mother. "Well, I'll be… they're all my size too. How did you know?" She then explained "When I saw you walking around with my lovely daughter here around the shopping district… I knew that you could potentially be a guest for this place, so I took precautions. Might have been jumping the gun a bit on that, but it was worth it in the end." I was a tad bothered that I was basically spied on, but if it was for a good enough reason like this one, then fair enough. "Gee Mom, that's uh… interesting for you to do…" Ringo pointed out. "Thank you for your generosity Ms. Ando, it is much appreciated." I said. She then bows in contempt and goes off doing other miscellaneous matters. I proceed to take the quick shower that discussed with Ringo about. I get out of it a little over ten minutes and let Ringo do her things in there, because I like to be nice for other people. And besides that, I went in first to avoid any possible crazy misunderstandings involving…_ "assets"_. After all Me and Ringo only just met today, I didn't want our bond to degenerate itself from crap like that. I went back to my room to lay down on my bed. Soon enough, I fell into the dream realm of my subconscious.

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter was a tricky one for me to put together as some of the readers may have noticed. All of the stuff regarding the school schedule for the main character, and the fact that he is one of these half students. To put it simply, it wasn't easy to have the plot explain these things in a good and efficient manner.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: First Half of the First School day, ****Suzuran High**

It was early morning in Suzuran, 5:30 A.M to be precise. I woke up from feeling something off… "Huh, something isn't right here, there's something under the same sheets that I am in…" I quietly said. I slowly removed the bed sheets to reveal what I didn't expect at all. "R-Ringo?!" I yelled in a hushed voice. What was Ringo doing in here now? She had her own room, there was no reason for her to come in my room. I thought about, then it hit me, did she sleepwalk herself in? At this moment, I don't know. Either way, it was time for us to get ready, so I shook her body a bit. She reacted to it and opened her eyes to see what was happening. They then widened immediately when I was right next to her. Oh, I could tell that she would get the wrong impression as she was about to raise her voice. I stop her just in time by putting my hand over her mouth, thank God. "Shh… stay quiet, everyone else is still snoozing. I would rather have this stay like that, as for your confusion, I'll explain right now. I found you laying under my bed sheets after I came to from my own dreams. As to why you are here, I believe it is because you had a sleepwalk at some point during the night. This also is proven by the fact that my door is open currently, and I can see your door opened as well." Ringo sat there, a little dumbfounded by my observations. "Well… don't I feel kinda stupid… hehehe." she lightly chuckles awkwardly. "Come on, we need to get ready." "You're right, and I'll need to help you out to in getting a uniform and schedule in time before your first class period." So we prepared ourselves, Ringo went her usual get-up, although I went into choosing the nicest looking clothes that I had since I didn't have the uniform yet. We did all of the other small nuances to fix up our aesthetics. One of these nuances was the fact that I now had a backpack as well. I guess Ms. Ando bought it along with all those clothes of mine. And so, after a quick and quiet breakfast, we left the storehouse for a walk to Suzuran High.

The time is now 6:50 A.M and the sun started to shine once again. Ringo had said to me on the way that school may indeed start at 7:30 and classes followed beginning with 7:40. However, students were able to enter the school as early as 7:00 in specific areas if they wished. With the time being such, Ringo directed me to the uniform provider for transfer students. She talked to the man before he took a look at me. "You must be Dave, the new transfer student starting today." "I am sir." I followed that with a nod, giving the man confirmation. "Here's two sets of your uniform, take care of them." I got to take a good look at it, looked fine enough. I put the uniforms into my backpack and grabbed hold of the strap. Ringo thanked the uniform provider and helped me out of the room. She guided me towards the cafeteria, saying that it's where most early students stay at for the time being. I was also told that there were bathrooms in there as well. For that reason, I would be able to change into my uniform and still have plenty of time to get and know some students. I went into the men's bathroom and changed into the uniform, putting my other clothes and leaving my spare uniform in the backpack. Before I knew it, I looked similar to all of the other male students. I walked out of the bathroom, and met back up with Ringo. "Hey, you look great!" I blushed a little inside from that. "So what now?" I asked. "Glad you should ask, now we are going to get your schedule that the school constructed for you." Of course, I won't know where to go if I don't have one down on printed paper. So I once again let Ringo lead me to where I was to get it, an office labeled _"Transfer Student Scheduling"_ came into our view. "Here are go…" Ringo chimed to me. We both entered to see a woman currently doing some paperwork and she saw Ringo. The two talked for a minute, I didn't really hear what they said, but I saw the woman hand over a sheet of paper to Ringo. That must be it, the schedule that was for me. Ringo thanked the woman, and we both headed out and went back to the cafeteria, with the schedule in my hand, to wait for school to officially start today. While we waited we had met up with some students that Ringo already knew. "Hey Ringo! Nice to see ya!" The voice was that of a guy, with purple hair and held on to what looked to be a gavel. He wasn't alone either, he was with a… bear? Either way, the bear must have been a male student since he wore the uniform, but seriously, a bear?

"Oh Maguro!... And Risukuma too." These two specifically must be Ringo's friends, they all greeted each other with open arms. "Oh, who's the new guy?" Maguro asked. "I am quite curious too, Ringo." The bear talks…? Although I deemed it strange, I was not about to question things with him personally, so I kept my mouth shut regarding that. "Guys, allow me to introduce to you, Dave. He's a bit quiet, but trust me when I say this, He. Is. Sweet." I hoped that she meant it in the awesome way and not the romantic way. "Wow, looks like you've hit the love jackpot Ringo." Maguro grinned and joked around with it. "Hehehe, I didn't mean to say it that way..." Ringo kind of blushed in embarrassment. "Oh, so he's just cool?" "Yep!" The two continued to talk back and forth, with the occasional jump into the conversation from Risukuma. While that was going on, I hear another voice, apparently waiting for me to answer. And then, I saw the source of the voice, another guy. He looked to be older than most of the other students currently here, had gray hair. "So, you must be the transfer half-student." I was a bit shocked that this dude knew that. "Who're you?" I asked. "Hahaha…" I heard the news from someone that you may know, by the name of Amitie." So, Amitie was telling this to her friends, the question now though is, how did SHE know? That question swirled around in my head for a little bit before I promptly shrugged it off. "You are a friend of Amitie's then?" The guy nodded yes almost immediately in response. "Since I already know you're named Dave, allow me to tell you mine, it's Lemres." So, he was named Lemres, and he lived in Primp it seemed. We talked to each other for a some time, and Ringo noticed me with Lemres. "Oh hi Lemres, it's been a while!" "So you two know each other too…" They both looked at me and laughed. "Well of course we do, we've been in adventures together before." Ringo mentioned. "Adventures? Well alright, fair game I suppose..." The bell soon rang which indicated that school has now started. I looked at my schedule, _"Biochemistry"_ was first, located in room 262, an upper floor class. I had ten minutes to get there, which was plenty time, even when trying to find it. I arrived with six minutes to spare and saw two familiar faces. It was Maguro and Risukuma, how lucky of me. The first class that I come to, and I don't feel completely awkward. "Hey dude, looks like you get to be with us." Maguro said. "I don't have any qualms with it, great to be with you two in here." I replied. Risukuma studied me closely. "So, can I ask you just a couple of questions, they'll be quick." He requested. "Sure." I responded. "How long how you been in Suzuran for?" "Since yesterday, let's just say a phenomenon happened that cause to come to this world out of my free will." I replied. Risukuma didn't understand what I was talking about, so I mentioned a portal. "O-oh, okay that makes sense. Now next question, where did you come from exactly?" He had asked the one question that I couldn't answer to anyone. "I'm sorry Risukuma, but that information is private for me and only me to know." Risukuma sighed in defeat, but soon acknowledged my privacy as something important to me.

The teacher for the class came in before the bell rang again, she saw me and then stumbled a bit. "Oh, you must be the new transfer student." Am I really being known by the staff of this school on the first day? "I'll introduce you to the class when it begins, but for now, sit down at that desk over there." She points to one of the desks in the back behind most others and I go ahead and sit down. Three minutes later, all of the other students for biochemistry show up, and the bell rings. "Alright class settle down in your seats, I have a transfer student to introduce to you guys, so please give him your undivided attention." I stood up and walked to the front of the room. Maguro and Risukuma watched me as I did so, I mustered up the courage to speak. "Hello fellow classmates, my name is Dave and I hope that we can get along for the time that I am are here." I had shown off a serious stance to these other students. Most of them smiled at how formal I was about introducing myself. "Very nice Dave, now you can go ahead and sit back down so that today's lesson can begin." I followed her words and did just that. "Okay class, today we are going to learn about the anatomy of a typical Puyo. So, take this green Puyo for example…" This simple lecture continued on for about forty minutes, and then the bell chimed in again. Class period one was officially done, so I hovered over my schedule for the next class. Period two was labeled _"Calculus"_, I groaned at the sight of it. I hated anything that was related to mathematics, even if I have never experienced calculus before, I knew that I was going to hate it. "Hey Dave, you alright man? You seem to be upset, judging by your face…" Maguro wondered. He and Risukuma took a glance at my period two class. "My God dude, I think you're gonna get a bunch of lucky breaks with us as your friends by your side. Y'see, that next class is where Ringo will be at, and she's a pro at anything math related, you'll be fine when she goes to help you. Trust me when I say this, there will be plenty of chances for her to do so." My eyes shot up. "Really guys?!" They both quickly nodded yes. I quickly grabbed my stuff and and thanked them. I needed to go there now, room 162, the room directly below biochemistry. The passing period wasn't as long as the one before the first period, I needed to haul ass over to calculus. I made it just in time, less than one minute remaining. Ringo saw me and was extremely delighted. "Hey Dave! What are chances of us being together in this class?" She's talking about probability, an aspect of math. I can tell that she really enjoys this stuff, unlike me. "Probably... not that high... at all…" I spoke whilst out of breath. At this point, things go like how they did in my first period. The teacher of the class has me introduce myself to the other classmates, and a lesson is taught in for the rest of the time. Only for this class specifically, we had to take notes, and it wasn't easy. Luckily though, the teacher assigned me to a seat that was next to Ringo's. So if I was ever confused with the topics of the class, which was all the time, Ringo would be there to lend me a hand. The lesson lasted for about the same as before and the bell relieved me of my torture. I scanned my schedule for what's next on this chopping block, obviously not in the best mood. However that quickly changed, belittling my own suffering and replacing it with joy. Next up was English 11 since I was a junior. I knew that this was a required class for me, but I was actually looking forward to it. Back in my own world, I was excellent when it came to English classes, so this ought to be a walk in the park. Remembering that I don't have much passing period time, I waved farewell to Ringo and headed off with no time to waste.

Room 185, English 11, it was going to be great. I saw that this room in particular was decorated, on the wall were posters representing different book genres and rules on how to write specific papers. This time, the student that I met already, Lemres was here. "Heyo Dave, how's it going?" "It's going along fine Lemres." I see this girl with him, she is quite shorter, and a bit younger than the rest of us here, seeing how this is a juniors only class and all that. The best way I could describe her goes like this, a gothic lolita, having purple hair and such. I didn't know what to make of it at first, so I asked Lemres. "So, who's the girl Lemres?" "Oh her? She's Feli. A cute little scapegoat she is, she's always nice to me too." Feli then hid a little bit behind Lemres, blushing. "Oh, so I see that you don't really have too much social experience Feli, don't worry, I'm in the same boat as you… My name is Dave by the way." She came out a little more and stood beside Lemres. "Anyone who is cool with Lemres, I don't mind being around, just don't get me angry from things I hate. Oh, I should mention this too, I'm fifteen years old. If you can't tell, I kinda skipped a couple of grades, heheh... so hi Dave..." Her attitude seemed a little cold, but I could understand why it might be. She held out her hand to me, still blushing, we shook hands for a second, then the bell comes in. At this point again, the same shit repeats itself, then follows in the lesson of the class, inside room 148. For this lesson, we were learning about how historical figures changed how stories were written to be. Basically, as the English language evolved, so did the writing. Now the writing part of it was old news to me. However, since I was in this world now, I got to learn about some history surrounding it. For this, I was a little more invested in, and rather enjoyed the lecture. I could tell that Lemres, and Feli in particular, sensed the passion in me. English 11 ended, then I looked at the schedule for fourth period. Lemres came by me to catch a glimpse himself. "Cool, you have the same fourth period as us." My head reared back to him and Feli, and I smiled hearing that. "That also means that we'll all have the same lunch period together." "Huh?" I questioned. "Uuuh, I'll explain once we get to lunch." So, us three headed off together to the next period which was _"History"_. I was sure that it'll be different than the kind of history that I learned back in my world. Again, I thought this to be interesting and went in with good spirits. After the introductory stuff involving me is over, this class's lesson had a topic that I wasn't expecting, kind of brought my spirits down a peg. It was about a war, one that was known as _"The Great Puyo War"_. This apparently happened thirty-five years ago, we learned of the hardships that came from the war itself. Poverty, governmental breakdowns, and of course, immeasurable suffering from the people living at the time. This world was barely able to push back an evil, magical powerhouse that threatened to destroy everyone and everything here. This world didn't have magic users to utilize at the time, so it had to rely on military strategy and perseverance. It was all rather grim, but that was all in the past. "...and now, Primp Town is the reason why we have been safe for these past thirty-five years. They saw us struggling to keep away the evil superpower, so they forged an alliance with us. We've been protected by residents of Primp Town ever since." The teacher finishes his lecture just before the bell rang. I guessed at this point, it was lunch for us as we all went to the cafeteria.

We got our food of the day, and sat down at a conveniently placed table. We all had discussed for a bit on the table, Lemres mentioned that he was held back the previous year. This went on until I had reminded Lemres of the lunch scheduling. "Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. You see, your lunch period is dependent entirely on your fourth period teacher. So I guess you can say that the history teach is havin' lunch right now too, just in a different area of the school. And while we're on the subject of schedulin'... half-students, A.K.A us, don't have a fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth period in this school…" I checked my schedule again and I noticed that it indeed cuts off the Suzuran High classes after period four. "...instead, we are sent over to Primp Magic School by a special vehicle. We stay at Primp for either 2 or 3 classes, these periods themselves are longer to make up for there being less of them." I didn't get it at first, but it sounded cool. Sure, longer class periods suck, but that's only if the classes themselves either don't interest me, or I hate. Since this was a magic school that we are talking about though, neither of those seemed to be the case. "I see, that sounds like fun." I said. "Oh you won't believe how much of a party it feels like, pretty much the definition of _"Hella fun"_. Lemres' eyes seemed to sparkle in awe as he said that. "I have to agree with you Lemres, it's fun being with you." Feli said. She had cuddled herself up around his arm. "Alright Feli, enough with the cuddlin', I think that it's almost time to go…" Lemres said. Sure enough, the bell rang a second or two later, we got up, and threw away any leftovers. The trays went onto this conveyor belt where they would get washed thoroughly. Lemres encouraged me to follow behind along with Feli. We ended up outside at a weird station, I supposed that this is where that _"special vehicle"_ Lemres mentioned earlier, picks up half-students. I saw other half-students rolling in this area. All together, there must have been barely over twenty of us. I saw the vehicle come by… to put it bluntly, it was one that hovered off the ground. This is something that my world's people wished that they had, or at least as close to something like this. All of us entered in and the driver closed the door soon after everyone took their seats. The next thing I knew, a portal opened up and this vehicle started to drive through it.

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter was originally planned to have both schools be covered. Since there was so much happening in the first half of the day though... I decided to put all of the events of the second half of the day involving Primp Magic School in Chapter 4. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Second Half of the First day, ****Primp Magic**

We we were traveling extremely fast through dimensions, it almost felt like an amusement park ride. One of the seats had enough room for us three to fit. I was on the window side while Feli sat on the opposite side, and Lemres remained in the middle. We all sat comfortably in our parts of the seat, waiting for a while. Feli fell asleep on Lemres' lap, I'll admit it, she looked adorable. It was so appealing that it was picture-worthy, but no one had a camera on board. We eventually exited the rift and reached Primp Town. As we stopped at the the designated station, Feli had woke from her _"nap"_. Us three got off and I looked at my schedule for one final time for the day. A class labeled _"Potion Crafting"_ was next, then my last period of the day was _"Basic/Intermediate Magic Training"_. "Well looks like we'll have one more class together today…" Lemres said before his voice trailed off. "Hey, that's not bad, we can become great friends the more classes that we are in." I assured Lemres. "Heh. I suppose that ought to be pretty damn good. We have fifteen minutes to get there, so no need to rush." We relaxed and walked at our leisure, still having a couple of minutes leftover. We entered the class, most of the other students that were there stared at us, attentively. It was as if we were odd balls of the bunch, we were half-students, but still it was weird. Class had begun shortly with the clap of this school's bell. Our instructor for this class appeared, she looked a little too young for the job though. I was sitting at a nearby stool with no assigned seat to sit in. "Alright class, I would like your attention please." Immediately, the students, including us, gave her the desired attention. "It is of my understanding that we have a new student here today, if you're the guy, then please stand up." I then stood up from the stool, the young instructor seemed surprised. "Huh, you're a half-student right?" "T-that's right miss." I said, then heard quiet murmurs of other students, talking about me. "Now, how about you come to the front of the class and introduce yourself?" I had no reason to decline, so I did so. I listened to more of those murmurs, only now picking up on some of the words spoken. "Is he shy?" "What's up with him, I don't sense any magical power from him…" Those words in particular struck a chord of mine in the wrong way. If people here start to figure out that I'm an individual with no magic power, they'll laugh at me for enrolling to this school. Accord… why do you soil me so? I was sure that she planned something, but she probably didn't take this dilemma into consideration. "Alright, enough with the gossip class... As for you Dave, I am Instructor Witch, the one who teaches everything related to making potions. You may now take your seat over there, she points to a nearby empty desk. This seat was interesting, the first one that I got over at the front of the class. I didn't really have a problem with it if it meant I would be learning better. The class continued for seventy minutes, a bit long for my liking, but I had no control over that. The bell clapped, ending class. This left only one class left, basic/intermediate magic training, located in a room that I recognized from before. This was in Ms. Accord's room, so she DID have one thing planned for me. This will hopefully help me fit into Primp Magic more. Lemres noticed me heading off for my last class. "Well, looks like we're done hangin' out for today." Feli came up to me soon after. "It… was nice getting to… know you, Dave…" I saw her smile and her face brighten to the color red. "Aw, wouldn't chu look at that… Feli seems to have the stuff for you…hehehe!" Lemres emphasized. "D-damn it, Lemres! You know that… that no one can charm me more than you..." Feli pouted and lightly punched Lemres in the arm, he remained smiling and laughing from his joke. "Well… um okay, I gotta get going, see you guys tomorrow." I waved goodbye to them and left for Accord's room.

I found the room and entered inside. It didn't occur to me before, but this room was smaller compared to the other classrooms that I've been to throughout the day. The student count was… minuscule compared to all of the other classes. Not counting me, there were no more than five other students. Certainly strange, that's for sure. I've seen small classes in my days back in the past, but not any like this. "Oh hi Dave!" I hear someone call out my name, it was Amitie. "Hey, I didn't know that you were here. So what's the deal with this class anyway, why is it awfully remote with the student numbers?" Amitie reviewed the question I had asked her for a minute. "Well, most of the Primp Magic School students go to classes that focus on one part of magic. We often don't get ones who are new to magic itself, so this class a lot of the time, goes unused." The bell clapped and the other five students sit down in their seats. I meanwhile lean against a nearby wall. Ms. Accord enters in and welcomes the class for the day. Okay class, today is a special day. We have a new student that will be part this magic learning curriculum. This student introduction will be one of a kind, he's a half-student you see…" I hear the group of five exclaiming "Half-student?!" "***giggle* **Why don't you introduce yourself kid?" "I'm not a kid, Ms. Accord… please respect me as a young adult." I said. "Oohoohoo! Excuse me for my insincerity, I am often the instructor for younger teen students, so this is rather new for me. ***giggle***" Come on Accord, this happening wasn't so out there… "***sigh*** Alright then, my name is Dave for those of you here right now. And yes, I do indeed confirm that I'm a half-student." Accord seem genuinely happy with my introduction to these other five students. "Good, you can take that desk right next to Amitie." I went to sit over there, again this felt weird with only six total pupils in the room. "So today, we are going to stray away from our normal lessons. Two important things must be done for Dave before we can continue on. First off, I want the rest of you to chat with Dave, so that he can get familiar with you and vice versa. Have the desks form a circle, it'll be better for a group discussion." We all began to make our desks in a circle shape. I was at this moment that I paid attention to the looks of the other students more, besides Amitie of course. There was a refined, pink haired girl. Despite her petite stature, she seemed physically strong. Another girl was next to her, wearing a green sweater. The sleeves on that thing were obviously too big for her, she looked to be the youngest out of them. Going to the opposite side, this big guy was somewhat meandering about, clearly not used to this. The last guy was… strange to me. He always kept this devious face on, like he was up to no good. I didn't trust him for a second, even if I hadn't fully met him yet. He was just too suspicious and I didn't like it at all. Him just wearing those glasses and appearing to be a smug as hell brainiac, ugh...

This circle was finally made as we sat back down, Accord was sitting on the side. I met with each of these guys individually, starting with Amitie. "It's great to have you in our class! Ever since I saw you yesterday, I just knew that we would be great friends! No need to tell you my name, you already know it." She said. "W-well, thank you Amitie, that's kind of you." She smiled at my compliment and moved on. "My name's Raffina, charmed to meet you. You should know that I am quite rich compared to everyone else here, thanks to my family." I nod in approval. "Oh la-ti-da! He's impressed with me!" The girl in the green sweater was a bit nervous at first, I could understand her current feeling. "I'm… I'm…" "It's okay, relax, I'm bashful and soft spoken too. No need to feel pressured at all..." That line must have made her feel much better because she sounded more relaxed. "I'm Lidelle, very glad that you are more reserved like me." "Well, it's nice to meet you Lidelle, promise me that you will work on coming out of that shell of yours, okay?" She nodded to me, promising that she'll try to do it. The big guy was next, he had a deep voice. "I am Tarutaru, great to make you my acquaintance." He tips his hat down as a form of respect. And then the last, the one guy I did not trust. "Salutations pleb, my name is Klug." Klug whispers to me soon after. "Don't plan on becoming buddy-buddy with me, it's not happening. I can tell that I'll despise you from what you've shown so far, pathetic ingrate…" This clearly made me angry, but I wasn't about to spout out said anger like an idiot, so I kept it to myself and remained calm and quiet. I couldn't let one guy get the better of my emotions. I continued to talk to these newfound friends that were not named Klug. I ignored him as much as I could. "Alright kiddies, it time for Dave to be tested to see whether or not he is capable of wielding magical power." I rose my hand up in question "Uuum, test?" I wasn't sure what she meant by "test". "Oh, you'll see… ***giggle***." I didn't like the sound of that, the way she chuckled in response, it was going to be crazy, whatever it was. "Kids, follow me this way." Accord had us follow her for several minutes outside and then, I saw it. Some sort of obstacle course filled up my vision, my jaw dropped in astonishment. "Dave, in order for you to have the chance to cast magic, you need to have good physical and mental exercise. This course's traps will force you to think on your feet, as well as outside the box. All of the other things standing in your way will make you work on your reflexes and agility." My body wasn't made for this sort of thing, even as it changed. I figured that I was completely screwed and I couldn't do this, even if it was for my life. Failure seemed imminent, I felt hopeless, I hit the ground in disbelief. The others saw me collapse in shame, coming to comfort me in time of my need, except for Klug of course. He didn't care what was happening to me. In fact, at the corner of my eye, I saw him smiling from my pain. He was enjoying me at my worst, the true nature of an absolute bastard. Luckily, he did not see me looking at him on a whim, I traced my eye back to my now dirtied hands. "C'mon Dave, I know that you can do it, just believe!" Amitie cheered on. "You helped me Dave, now it's time for you to be helped in return..." Lidelle said. "Just look at me Dave, even I passed this monstrosity, and I'm not that well fit." Tarutaru emphasized. "I dunno, I'm still not sure guys..." At this point, I had shed a tear and pounded my fist in frustration. "Seriously now, how can you call yourself a young adult if you're losing hope and dignity already dammit?!" I realized that this was Raffina yelling out these words to me. Beyond that fact, she was right, I needed to start manning up to this shit. "Y-you're right Raffina, I must not hesitate... anymore." I stood up again, presenting a proud stance to everyone else. Klug had stopped smiling at this point in time, he was appalled by the sight. I couldn't let them down, any of them. Amitie, Raffina, Lidelle, Tarutaru… Not just them though, but also Lemres, Feli… and Ringo... I could not falter here, I had do this for everyone that I considered a friend. "Very well, I'll do it and pass, I know that I can with the support of you guys." I breathed in as preparation to focus so deeply. And so, with me leaving my backpack behind in the hands of Amitie, I finally began this gauntlet of endurance.

In front of me incoming was a wall of thorns, I ran as fast as I could. At the last second, I reared my feet in a way where I started to slide. I slid under the thorns with relative ease, surprising myself in the process. "Alright! Go Dave!" I heard Amitie cheering me on along with the others. Now, I felt quite confident with myself, of course never being too sure of myself. I continued on for a while, starting to get tired. I had no idea how much time had passed since beginning this soon to be hell. I came up towards multiple rings of fire, only that I didn't exactly have the strength to full pull through these. My face, arms, and legs started to burn. "Ah! Fuck! This shit hurts like a bitch! This is no ordinary fire…!" I wasn't allowed to stop though, I had to keep going. "I must finish this to prove myself... like hell I'm going to have it stop me!" As though a deus ex machina had blessed me, I found new strength within. I kept going forward until one final challenge stood in my way. It was an extremely long path of monkey bars, along with saw blades moving about. "You gotta be shitting me…" I was never good with monkey bars, let alone a huge string of them. And now, my life was on the verge of ending just because this was my first day at Primp Magic. Regardless, I trudged on forward with determination. I came to about halfway before encountering problems. More saw blades were coming over to me, a couple managed to cut up my already burned body. "Argh! Damn this! Why do they have to make it this way?!" I was bleeding from several spots and it was hurting me badly. The more I moved around, the bigger my wounds opened up. I was almost there, just a couple of bars left. "C'mon…! Arms, you can get me there, just... hold on…!" I successfully made it through that hell and the course itself. I walked down a ramp that lead itself over to patches of grass. "You did it, Dave!" I heard a voice off in the distance, it was Amitie. "That was surely a wicked performance that you have done!" "Y-you think so? Th-thank you, as well as the others, you all motivated me... enough to get b…" I felt strange at this moment, like my body was shutting down temporarily. The next thing that I knew, I was back in the classroom, laying on the floor. "Oh hey guys, he's awake!" I was trying to get my eyes to adjust to the light. "Oh God... what happened? Ack!" All of my classmates heard and circled around me, besides Klug since he didn't care. "Don't stress out your body anymore... you blacked out like a busted light." Raffina explained. "You've sustained heavy injuries from the course, so I called up the school nurse to patch you up, Dave." Accord said. "Well, I should be thanking all of you for caring about a stranger such as myself." "D-Dave, you're not a stranger to us, not after what you said to me before your test. Strangers never understand the feelings of others on a personal level immediately…" Lidelle was right, I was no stranger to these guys, they knew that I was someone that they could trust. For most of the remaining period, I kept lying on the floor. In the meantime, Amitie left my backpack close for me to hold. The others watched me in careful observation, praying that I would be alright. I finally recovered enough to stand up and move around. I was no longer burned or cut up thanks to healing magic, I just had sore muscles to deal with. "Okay, I think I'll be fine for the time being, my muscles hurt a little, but besides that, I can take care of myself now." The school nurse gestured to me and left. The desks were arranged back to how they were when I first entered the room today. I sat back down at my assigned seat until the bell clapped for a final time. My first school day was over thankfully, I could at last rest back in Suzuran. However, I had to get there first. "Oh Dave, there something important that you should know." Accord pointed out before I went out the door. "There's another vehicle that is here right now, it's for taking half-students and bringing them to Suzuran. It should be located right outside the school." I knew where as she said that that. "Thanks, I appreciate you guiding me to my ticket back home." I waved to her and left. I found myself by the station I was in before, just several half-students were waiting for this along with me. I guessed that the majority of half-students were from Primp Town, given this change in numbers. The vehicle came, and I entered. I came back to Suzuran, it was starting to get dark, I had to get to Ringo.

I made it to Ando Family Fresh Produce, Ringo saw me and her face lit up. "Where were you? You've been gone for a while since I came back here, what took you so long?" "Oh trust me, you do not want to know, it was a tad rough throughout this first day, I'll say it that much…" Ringo seemed like she didn't want to press for any further answers. "Well, if you… don't want to talk about it… I understand…" "N-No, it's not that I don't want to discuss it, I'm just not sure if you'll feel comfortable after I'm done explaining what happened in particular…" She urged me to talk, I sighed and began. I spoke all about the "test" I was given and how I was injured in the process at the latter half of the course. She went to hug me out of empathy and care. "Look Dave... the important thing is that you're still alive, and you had friends like Amitie to look out for you." She was taking this rather well, although she didn't actually see it happen with her own eyes. The human brain can only imagine so much about something. "Let's go inside, I'm sure that you're hungry, Dave…" ***growl* **Sure enough, my stomach begins to rumble, we both laughed at the timing of that and entered. Ringo's family was making dinner, and it smelled great. We all sat in the family table with plates of the stuff. Safe to say, it was delicious and very much needed after all of that. I didn't exactly scarfed it down, but I certainly wasn't taking my time either. After dinner, I went in the shower, cleaned up, and passed out on my bed.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Chapter 4 is the last chapter for a while before the plot starts to pick up in pace. Not only that, but this story's tone is about to become more mature, starting at Chapter 5.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Adaptation**

I woke up and prepared to go to school again. Ringo was already up and about doing the same thing. We left for Suzuran High and for the entire morning of that day, everything seemed normal. I learned more about the anatomy of a Puyo, interesting history was dropped, and of course, I nearly broke with notes from calculus. I was having a good time with Lemres and Feli. They always enjoyed my company, we felt like a trio of best friends. I will admit, it was quite healthy and sweet for me. However as much as I did enjoy things, today at lunch was the exact opposite. What had occured was... rather cancerous and sour. "Ah, this is the life… I really enjoy hanging out with you two." I said. "Heh, what can I say? It might as well be… true…" Lemres stops and moves his head around in another direction. "Lemres, what's wrong?" Feli asked. "Uh oh… we're 'bout to see some trouble…" Lemres replied. "Hmm, that can't be good… what could it be?" I wondered. Lemres pointed us to the growing issue that was about to sprout. "Look at those students, they're all movin' in a pack, like wolves. No doubt about it, they are troublemakin' freshmen…" I saw these kids, they were awfully roughnecked for their size. Not to say that they were short, but calling them grown would be an overstatement. "Shit, they're moving towards those weaker students... likely to bully 'em." He said. "What? B-but, we can't let that happen, there's no one around to defend those innocent people…" Lemres assured my concern. "That's right, no one in their right mind has yet to revolt to those freshmen. We have to do somethin', otherwise… they'll remain a dominant force in the realm of students." "What a bunch of stupid, immature, and naive kids…" Feli groaned. "I know, I agree with you one hundred percent on that statement, Feli." I said. The roughnecks came up to the weak. "Hey there… where's the money that you said that you would give us to stop botherin' you?" One of those guys must have been the leader, identified with a scar across his left eye. "I'm sorry, Gale! I dropped it somewhere, please don't hurt-!" The student begged. "Sorry doesn't even begin to cut it small fry! That was a poor excuse you've made and a mistake to pull on me too!" This _"Gale"_ reeled in for a punch. Me and Lemres prepared to defend the poor bastard from Gale. "Hold on guys, We'll handle this… you stay back." We heard an unfamiliar voice behind us, I didn't know who this was, but it was a guy. This guy wore a trench coat and sunglasses, his hair was jet black. He had a squadron of other students with him. They marched over to the roughnecks as we watched curiously. "You are Gale... are you not?" The guy says as Gale turns around. "Huh? Who the hell are you guys? Ha, it doesn't matter, you're still students in the end tryin' to defend these weaklings with no power yourselves." It was at this moment, we as well as everyone else, witnessed a standoff between delinquents and justice seeking prodigies. "I'll have you done like damned dinner in no time flat!" Gale goes to punch our mysterious guest. "Squad, incapacitate Gale and his followers…" He said. The squadron pulls out stun guns, and then they began shooting. "Arrrrrgh!" Gale and his men yelled out. A few seconds later, Gale and his group were on the floor, incapable of moving. The weak seemed to be thankful to our mystery guy after that chaos. "That was certainly something…" I trailed off. "I have never seen anything like it before." Feli said. "Just wow… amazin'..." Lemres said with a lack of better words to choose. Our _"friend"_ came back over to us shortly afterward. "Alright, there shouldn't be any further worries made from that idiotic mass." He said. "Uh excuse me, but could you explain to us who you are?" I asked. He pauses for a second soon after. "Ah, where's my manners? My apologies... I am known as Jace, Student Council President. It is our job, as Student Council to regulate the school as much as possible, to a certain extent that is. Basically, we prevent chaos from spreading across the school and stuff along those lines." Lemres looked confused as Jace said that.. "Student Council? I don't recall this school havin' one…" Lemres pointed out. "Neither do I…" Feli agreed. "Well, this is more of a recent development, by that I mean we were formed just a few days ago by the school itself in secrecy." Jace elaborated to us. "I see… well thanks for doing what you did, who knows what would have happened to the defenseless." I thanked him. "No need for thanks, I was just doing my job as Student Council President." Jace kept this serious face on him the whole time that we saw him. "Alright squad, let us take our leave with the garbage, so they can't sully this sanctuary anymore…" I didn't know what he meant by that. "W-wait, where are you going to do with them?" I questioned, hoping to get a valid answer "I can't give away specific details regarding that, it is classified, but let me make it clear to you... they will be transported to a facility. At this facility, they will pay off their heavy misdeeds by doing special tasks, and they won't refuse either. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?." Jace and the Student Council left, probably for other matters to attend to.

We didn't know what to think, this brand new student council shows up from out of nowhere and punishes those roughnecks. For the rest of lunch, me, Lemres, and Feli were reviewing what the hell had just occurred. So Dave, why do you think that student council was made recently?" Lemres asked. I didn't know for sure, but I had a theory. "Maybe those roughnecks were causing so many public disruptions around the school… that the faculty got tired of it." I guessed. "It's certainly possible… that would explain most of the oddities in a nutshell…" Feli said. "One thing's for certain, the council is protectin' us from ruffians, which is good. Lemres said as we finished up the conversation. The rest of the day continued fine until I came into Accord's class. The class begins and Accord began to speak. "Class, today it looks like we will have to delay our current lesson again due to Dave passing out yesterday after his test. I didn't anticipate this, but that's okay… this next thing won't take us too long. So Dave, come up here and sit on this chair." I didn't know why she wanted me to do so and she was quite serious about the ordeal. I decided to take her word for it and do what she requested out of me. "Now Dave, I'm going to put this blindfold on you. This is because things are about to get incredibly bright. As for the rest of you, I should tell you that Dave has no magic power to speak of yet. I will prepare him to feel magic aura flowing through his body by a use of a special method. You kiddies go into the small soundproof room. I'll lock the door to make sure that you don't go peeping into the brightness. You'll know when it's done as I unlock the door. So, do you understand the procedure class?" The other five students in unison replied "Yes Ms. Accord." She goes ahead to lock them in the side room and puts some kind of magic around the front entrance. "What's that for?" I asked. "It's to make sure that no one outside of the classroom can hear us. We don't want any noise the leak out into other ears, Dave." "But why…? This makes no sense…" "Oh you'll figure it out as we go along, so I'll put on the blindfold now." After she puts it on, I hear rustling of stuff moving for about two minutes. "Okay, it took me a little bit, but now I'm ready to get us started with this." I didn't know what she was doing until… I felt something, touching my lap. "Uuuuuuuh… what is this I'm feeling…?" I was very awkward with the event currently going on. "Ah… what are… you doing Ms. Accord?!" I felt her softly biting on the corner of my ears. "I'm letting magic aura flow through your muscles and veins, and because I know you are that kind of young man…" She grabs my hand and makes me grip something else. "W-wait! Is this... ?! Ms. Accord, this is not right!" I knew for a fact what I was now touching, it was one of her breasts. "***moan***" Accord starts moaning to these actions. None of this was legal, she was clearly older than me. She wanted to me to sexually pleasure her despite our noticeable age difference, all so that I could have the ability to cast magic. "Dave, do me one more favor, start sucking on them, you know what I mean." I did knew, if I wanted to get this over with, I had to abide by what she says, so I did. "Ah, yes! This… this should be enough to ignite that magic potential in you. Ooooooooh!" She yelled out for a final time. I began to feel empowered by an aura. At the same time, I saw so much light, even through the blindfold. It was as though this light was heavenly and all-blinding. "Woah… I feel strange…" "Oh my... Dave, it looks like you have quite the magic potential in you. I have never felt newly created magic aura like this before… Hold on, I'll come back in a bit and then you can take off the blindfold." I waited for her to return.

"Alright Dave, you can take off the blindfold now." I took it off and Accord opened the door for my classmates to reunite with me. "What happened Ms. Accord? I really want to know!" Amitie excitingly said. Accord didn't say anything of what went through, so I guessed that was good for my own sanity. These guys would freak out knowing the truth, so I was glad with it being a secret. "So kiddies, I want you to see what Dave is capable of now that his body is a vessel of magical strength. So go ahead, show them, I took precautions by placing a magic barrier around the room. Give it everything you have so I can see where you need help with for the future." She told me. "Ms. Accord... I'm not sure how I should go about releasing spells." I said. She paused for a moment. "Just have your mind focus on what is most precious to you, they'll come through soon enough. Think of names for your spells and you'll release them." I hesitated, but quickly went with the idea. I thought in my mind deeply, wondering what I had cared most. It was my friends, I didn't need to hesitate at this point. I knew what I was doing now, I called on my first spell. "Hrrrgh! Cryogenic Bomb!" I launched an icy ball from my hand towards the barrier and it exploded with ferocity. Desks and everything else in between were blown around by the force of the blast. Everyone else was shocked, even Klug couldn't believe this. I have to admit, I was amazed with myself pulling this off. "Holy crap, did I do that?" I questioned while looking at my hands. "Brrgh! Everything's chilly in here..." Amitie pointed out. "That was certainly a show worth seeing." Tarutaru said. "The _"Oomf" _of that spell was off the charts, all of that energy…" Raffina said in awe. "Th-that kind of power is scary to feel..." Lidelle emphasized, whilst trembling. I noticed that Klug's expression changed to reflect slight anger, as though he was jealous of me. "Well, that was more magic power than I was expecting...however, now I know what Dave needs to work on to improve it. He simply needs better control of this, not like he had awful control for his first time, but it requires some... fine tuning." Accord explained. "Other than that though, I see amazing potential from this new pupil ***giggle***." I heard the words of the wise being spoken, I decided to take a page from them. The classroom was still a mess from my Cryogenic Bomb, so we rearranged everything back. There was a bit of time leftover after all of this, so Accord had let us talk to each other for it. "Anyway Dave, that was incredible! I'm trying to become a great magician, but I can't deny that you're good right out of the gate." Amitie praised me. Raffina came over and gave me a slight noogie to the head. "I'm impressed with you, considering that was your first use of magic… I think you surprised all of us with that." She finished that statement up and goes back to sit down. "Uh… Dave…? I hear Lidelle asked me. "What is it Lidelle, is there a problem?" I returned a question. She stutters for a short time before grasping her words. "D-do you... mean to hurt anyone using that strong magic of yours…?" I thought about this question carefully, she was probably thinking that I would carelessly hurt innocent people. "Lidelle, there's no need to worry… I use dangerous things only for the sake of protecting other people. That line of thinking is how my magic was formed, and if you think I'll abandon it like that, I won't." I told her. She understood what I meant and thanked me for being so caring of others. Tarutaru didn't talk to me on that day, not because he didn't care, but he was preoccupied with other things. The bell clapped, and the school day was over. As I grabbed my backpack and walked through the door, Klug stands in my way outside the room. "Can I help you, Klug? I'm on my way back to Suzuran and I don't have much time, get out of the way." Klug was obviously agitated from this, I knew what he was trying to get out of this. I just pretended to be oblivious of his actions. "I don't care if you're a descendant of a powerful magician… you started out with no magical power to speak of. But yet... despite that flaw, you were able to conjure up such high leveled ice spell right off the bat. You shouldn't be able to do that so soon, too irregular." He criticized me. I explained things to him simply, but it just made him even more infuriated. "Look Klug, it all comes from the will of the user, at least that's how I understood it. I had the will to perform that Cryogenic Bomb, because I had friends that I cared about-" Klug interrupts me. "Don't give me something silly as hell like that! All that talk about friendship is bullshit, that can't be a catalyst for unlocking potential!" He exclaimed. I really had made him mad at this point, so I decided to humor him. "Alright then Klug, see if you can prove me wrong. We'll fight using magic against each other… on Saturday, after school, in the forest outside of Primp. It's my thoughts of power versus your idea of such, do you accept my terms?" I asked. Klug calmed down in response to this. "Very well _"One-hit-wonder, Dave"_, I accept your boldness to challenge me. Do know this though, I will expose that friendship garbage as nothing more than trash that you cling onto!" We left each other with sour faces after making that agreement. I relax more as I return to Suzuran. On the way, I thought about this one question lingering in my mind. Why was Klug such an ass to everyone else, and how did he become to be like one? I didn't have time to try and figure that out at this time. I return home and the rest of the night was normal.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I had the first spell of the main character's revealed as "Cryogenic Bomb" because I thought that it would be a "cool" one to start off with. Excuse me for the pun, I had to say it, but that statement is still true as well. It represents itself as a little taste for what there is to come, regarding the power of the main character moving forward in this story.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Conflicting ****Thoughts on Power**

I took the next two days to prepare myself against Klug, training late at night rigorously. I couldn't let him win, I didn't want him to prove me wrong. Deep down inside, I knew that I was right. Through of all this, I discovered two new spells that will help me catch Klug off guard. On the second night of training, Ringo found me. "Dave… what are you doin' this late at night? I explained what has happened to me involving Klug to her. "Ah… I see…" "Okay Ringo, I think you should get your sleep, I'll be fine. Oh yeah one more thing, make sure to come and watch so that you can cheer me on. Plus, you'll be able to help me get back to Suzuran after I'm done." She left in assurance that I can do it. At last, the day came to duke it out with _"you know who"_. I went through my classes as usual. Around lunch, Lemres and Feli were somewhat concerned about me. "Dude, are ya okay? Ya didn't seem like yourself for the past couple of days…" Lemres asked. "I don't want you to be miserable, Dave…" Feli worried. "***sigh* **Alright, I think that it's time to explain what's been happening with me… Basically this one guy named Klug, said that I shouldn't have this much power already. He challenged my belief that magic power comes from caring about others. He doesn't buy it for a second, so we made an _"agreement"_. We are to fight it out today to see what truly strengthens magic the most." "Ugh, Four-Eyes is causing your troubles?" I was shocked. "Wait, you know him, Feli?" I asked. "Yes… I despise him and his bullshit…!" She was not happy with this development, clenching her fists. "I think everyone hates him for how much of an asshole he can be…" Lemres pointed out. I told them that I was going to have Klug learn the error of his ways. They were rather intrigued to see how this will go. "Hm, how about we watch you? I would love to see Klug have a change of heart." Lemres dreamed. "Maybe at this rate, I'll never have to be concerned with Four-Eyes' actions ever again…" Feli hoped. "Well whatever happens guys, I just want him to stop being a dick to everyone that isn't himself." We enjoyed our time bonding with one another. A couple of hours later, I'm in Accord's room learning an actual lesson for once. I rather enjoyed it too, there was just something so whimsical about the it. Of course, it was only ever whimsical when Klug didn't ruin the atmosphere. We were being taught how certain elemental spell types interact with others. Here's a quick example, some spell types are strong against direct opposites. Wind spells erode earth spells, water spells douse fire spells, so on and so forth. The bell claps and the class ends, me and Klug both stared at each other. We were both ready for the showdown that would decide a new outcome. We headed inside the forest and I saw Lemres and Feli follow behind. A few minutes later, Ringo finds us located at the deepest section of the forest. She stands by Lemres and Feli to spectate my battle along with them. "So Dave, are you ready to submit to me?" Klug teased rudely. "Not a chance... Klug, I will show you why I can't lose in this situation." We both ready ourselves, this place was about to become a battlefield. I take the first move, hoping to end this swiftly. "Cryogenic Bomb!" Klug yells out a spell of his own. "Crater!" I see an explosion take form. I see a hole that wasn't there before. "***gasp* **He must have used it as a means to dodge my attack…!" "Correct, looks like someone caught on, even if it was delayed… Anyway, your _"attack" _was sluggish and easy enough to avoid." "Alright, if that last attack was _"sluggish"_, then look out, I have a fast one to compensate." He looked at me as though he thought that I was bluffing. "Heh, I know your one trick, and you don't have any more to…" I made him choke on that last incoming word. "Lightning...Clap!" I clapped my hands once and a zippy bolt shot out connecting with its intended target. "Ack! Wh-what?! But how?! You only had one spell to work with!" "So I see, you are confused about that. That was two days ago, this me is different than the me from then. I trained for the time that I had free, putting in hard-earned effort and I became connected with new spells to use. You think I just didn't do anything up until now? Come on, surely even you can't be this gullible..." Klug was at a loss for words momentarily. "Grrrr…! Okay then, I was just holding back before, but now, I'm going to hold no punches. Not only will I have intent on winning against you, but you've pissed me off to no end… I'm going to kill you!" I was lost in thought, he now wanted to kill me, for such a stupid and selfish reason. We continued to brawl it out as we talked. "Klug, you're letting hatred and jealousy consume you! Don't make yourself out to be a murderer. As much as you are jerk to everyone else, there's still room for you to change. You can be a good!" "Shut up! You don't know anything about me, what makes you think that you understand my position?! Ursa Major!" He unleashes a particularly powerful spell and hits me as I braced myself. I started bleeding from my arms and legs, cuts in the shape of a constellation appear throughout. "! Argh…! ***pant*** Dammit!" I winced. "Oh no! Dave!" My friends all yell out to me. "Now Dave, how about you go ahead and die for me…?" Klug offered, but I refused to give up. "Sorry, but I don't plan on... dying. I just want to know, Klug... Why do you disrespect other people to begin with? What's your reason?" I asked. "Pah, you really want to know that badly? Fine, I'll tell you through a backstory of mine. It all started years ago, I was ten years of age at the time. I came from a prestigious family of spellcasters, always being told that we were the best around. All things were also happy and peaceful in my home. But then... my father went berserk one day, lashing out on anyone that didn't meet raised up expectations. The one person that he did end up lashing out on… just so happened to be me. I was hurt and traumatized so much by the experience that... I loathed my father for betraying family morale. I wanted revenge against him for the hell that he had put me through! This is why I'm a… _"jerk" _to anyone that outside of my family." He finished his backstory with that. "But... don't you see, Klug? You're getting back at wrong people, why can't you just take your revenge and get back at your father?!" "You still don't understand, Dave… I would have done so already if I was able to find the bastard! However, I haven't seen him since that day. He ran off, never to be seen or heard from again, and no one else knows where he is. And since I can't find him, I have to take my bitterness, and have someone else suffer so I don't feel shitty anymore. So since I hate you the most right now, you are my target to kill." Klug had explained his final point for all of us to hear. On one hand, I understood his feeling actions, but on another, he was going about this all in the wrong way. "Klug, your pain will never go away unless if you find your father. Even if you do though, you might not be strong enough to defeat him on your own… you need me… let me help you… please..." I begged. "Quiet! I've just about had enough with you! I am strong enough and I will prove it by having you die beneath my feet! Besides… this is not any of your concern! This is MY problem that I must resolve myself…"

Klug pulls out a book and starts chanting in an unknown language. He started to transform, skin tone changing and increasing body height. "My God, what has happened to Klug?!" I exclaimed. "My, what has summoned me here? It's been a long time since I've had a vessel like this to live in." I was perplexed, that wasn't Klug. "Watch out, Dave... that ain't the Klug that I know." Lemres said. "***gasp* **Four-Eyes willingly had himself possessed by an evil spirit...!" Feli yelled. "Possessed…? Oh no… Dave… be careful…" Ringo said. "You're not Klug, who the hell are you?" I asked. "Ah, so is that the name of the vessel I'm currently in? Well, he surely was foolish to let me out of that book. He has thrown his own life away and now his spirit is trapped in the very book that I remained in damnation for all these years. To answer your question, you may call me... Gulk." He answered. "What?! I'm trapped in here?!" I heard a voice from somewhere, it was coming from the book, Klug's voice in fact. "Hm, you thought that possession would only be temporary... I'm assuming that you wanted me to finish the job against this guy… and then you thought that I would go away afterwards. I am sorry to say that possession doesn't work the way you think it does..." I was taken aback by this taking shape, I needed stop him. "You son of a bitch, give Klug back his body now or face a fate worse than death!" Klug's visible spirit perked up with confusion from the book. Gulk seemed to be rather amused by my threat. "Is that so, do you not know my strength, you mortal worm?" With a snap of a finger, he had a force grab onto me tightly. "Aaaaaaah! What is this... overwhelming grip?! Ack!" "Heh, you'll be dead soon enough and join up with Klug's demise. As for the rest of you…" He points to my friends. "... once I'm through with him, you're all next…" I couldn't let him harm my friends, not then, not ever, so I released my third spell. "Grrrrrrrr… Gulk, you won't have your way... I'll protect my friends and save Klug from his entrapment made by you! Heavenly Flare!" The blast of light was so strong, it knocked away whatever held me still. My friends shielded their eyes, and Gulk was shocked beyond belief. "Ah! What is happening to me, why am I leaving my vessel?!" The evil spirit drifted away from Klug's body. "Feli, now!" Lemres yelled. "I got it, Significator!" Feli was pulling the spirit with dowsing rods back into the book, and in the process, bringing back Klug to the realm of the living. We had successfully trapped the evil spirit back in his place, I sighed in relief and said this... "We have to make sure that this thing doesn't ever fall into the wrong hands again. Let's have this book be buried in a spot where no one will ever find it." Lemres takes the book from my hands. "I'll bury it, I happen to know the very place to do so." I thanked Lemres and he left us with Klug. "Oh my God, Dave, I'm so glad that you are okay!" Ringo says as she hugs me in relief. "Oh hey, Four-Eyes is regaining consciousness…!" I turn my head around. "Klug! Are you okay?" "I-I am, but why? Why did you want to help me, I don't understand... and where's the book?" He asked. "Look, if you couldn't get back your body, you would never be able to get revenge on your father. It's like I told you before, when there is a problem that needs solving, I jump in to help. I know that deep-down inside, you are a good person. This curse on you will never go away until you take revenge on the man that ruined your time in years past. I'm willing to help lift that mark off and eliminate it. You see, Klug… I've had an experience similar to yours. I know the feeling all too well, that's why I cannot ignore this issue. Come on, Klug... grab my hand, we're gonna track down this shadow that has lingered for far too long. As for the book, we had Lemres bury it so that no one evil can let that spirit run loose again." Klug was at a loss for words, his jaw remained dropped for about a minute. "Do you really mean everything that you say wholeheartedly, Dave…?" I reassured him. "Of course, what are friends for?" He stared at me a for seconds. "Friends… thank you. I finally see the message you were trying to tell me. I was blind, idiotic, and… foolish. True power comes from dedication, teamwork, and friendship..." I helped him stand up steadily as he smiled, and I smiled back. "I think we're both a little bruised up from this Klug, let's go back to our homes and rest up." I had Lemres and Feli help Klug out, while Ringo did the same for me.

By the time we got back, I could barely stand. "Uuugh, I can't keep carrying you like this… you're too… heavy…!" She drops me carefully next to the entrance. "I'll get my parents, you stay here." I stay as she told me to. "Oh poor Dave, what has happened to you? You are covered in scratches." Ms. Ando wondered. "Trust me, you do not wanna to know... it's a long story." Mr. Ando helps me onto a couch, where I started to rest. I hear a conversation go on in the kitchen. "Ringo, tell us the truth please, who did this to our precious guest?" Ms. Ando asked. "Weeell... I would, but the guy that did it to him is sorry about it, let's just say that it was all an accident… one that went completely out of control." Ringo explained to her parents. "If it was a couple of simple scratches, then I would understand… but there are so many complex ones carved out." Mr. Ando said. "Well honey, it doesn't matter who or what caused those… what truly matter is that Dave is okay." Ms. Ando comforted Mr. Ando. Ringo came up to me about a half hour later, hand delivering me food. "How are you feeling, Dave?" She asked me. "Oh these? They hurt, but they're not the worst thing that I've felt, I'll be fine." I said, and she smiled. I sat up as carefully as I could and ate. Once I was done, I was carried up to bathroom so I can bathe. Of course, there was no way in hell that I was able to take a shower, not in my current condition. I opted for a bath instead, at least then my legs could not give up on me. I eventually finished and dressed up in fresh clothes. "***Sigh* **Ms. Ando needs to sew up my uniform… I can't have it be like this..." I checked the cabinets for any bandages. I was in luck, a couple of rolls were together in one of them. Wrapping around my cuts, I felt a stinging pain throughout. I went through that night and Sunday in some pain, but it was all healing surprisingly quickly… maybe a little too quick. By the time Monday morning showed its face, I was good to go again.

* * *

**Author's Notes: And so, Dave makes a new friend in Klug. Through the rough battle and struggle, he and Klug have come to understand one another. The two vow that they together will bring revenge to Klug's father. Next chapter, Chapter 7: The Search for Klug's Father Begins.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Search for ****Klug's Father Begins**

Me and Ringo prepared for the new week of school. My wounds dissipated from sight and my damaged uniform was fixed up, thank God. As we walked over to Suzuran High, I kept thinking about what transpired during Saturday. "What's wrong, Dave?" Ringo asked with concern. "I was just remembering the events that happened then…" She seemed to know what I meant. "You mean the stuff involving Klug and his dad?" She asked me. "***sigh* **Yes Ringo, We all have to find his father soon, who knows what evil plot he may very well be up to…" Ringo stopped for a second to give me something. "Uh... Ringo?" "Here, take this." She said. It was a cell phone, it was black and completely new too. "It already has my number on it, in case if you need to call me." "Gee, thanks Ringo, I'm sure it'll come in handy." We both continued onward, staying silent for the rest of the way and entered the cafeteria. We saw Lemres wave to us off in the distance. "Yo! Over here guys!" He yelled. We walked over to him where the others were at too, Feli, Maguro, and Risukuma. "So, I guess that your wounds are now healed, Dave?" He asked. "Yeah Lemres, it hurt so much from Saturday night, but after that it really went away. Anyway, is Klug okay? We need to help him ASAP, so that he can live as a normal person." "Uuuuh, what are you guys talkin' about?" Maguro asked. "It's a long story Maguro, basically…" Ringo explained to him and Risukuma. "Well, I would see why he would become upset by this…" Maguro said. I expected a bit of a bigger reaction out of him, he was acting awfully calm about this. "Well, we can start lookin' into this after school…" Lemres suggested. "But where do we start though…?" Feli questioned. "Feli is right Lemres, we don't have any leads on this guy, he could be anywhere for all we know… it's going to be very difficult to track him down." I said. Everyone else agreed with nods. "Damn, what are we gonna to do then?" Lemres asked. "I'm not sure, I'll have to see if Klug has any ideas, if anyone does, it would be him." I concluded as Ringo, Lemres, and Feli nodded to me.

The rest of the day, up to seeing Klug again, went by as normal. After my last class in Accord's room ended, I gestured Klug to come over to me. "So, do you know where your father might be, Klug? Even a wild guess will help at this point, all so we can find him. "Well, I don't know for sure, but maybe Ms. Accord knows something. You see, my father used to come to this school, so records should be kept on him somewhere." He said. "Huh, that's not a bad idea... you might be onto something." I said. We headed towards Accord. "Uh, Ms. Accord, me and Klug request your assistance with a problem of ours." She spun her head to us in confusion. "My, what seems to be the issue you two?" We explained everything that occurred Saturday to Accord. Her innocent face soon turned to a more stern and serious look. "I see… Kiddies, I think you should watch this, I recorded it on a tape." She pointed us to a TV screen, it displayed a news feed. "Last night, as Primp Town Bank was being robbed, we saw a figure of tall proportions with broad shoulders. Authorities are saying that it is a grown man in his thirties. He fled to the forest surrounding Primp, so we have not found the man who is responsible. Plus, no other clues further pinpoint to who this might be." Accord shuts off the TV. "This happened late during later in the night of that day…" The next thing I knew, Klug was kneeling on one knee, baffled by this. "I-It can't be… but I know that stature from anywhere…!" He clearly was surprised from this. "Well… at least we have some sort of lead on him now, Klug…" I said on the bright side. "Wait, don't tell me that you two are going to find out where he is, he's a dangerous criminal though… I don't want you kiddies to get hurt." I assured Accord with a plan of mine. "Don't worry Ms. Accord, we aren't doing this by ourselves, we have plenty of friends willing to help us out. Isn't that right, Klug?" I nudged him for comfortable. "Y-yes, we do indeed." We thanked Accord for helping us and we left to find our friends.

We saw Lemres and Feli sitting on a bench together talking. "Hey, Lemres!" I yelled. "Oh hey, Dave n' Klug, found anythin' out?" He asked. "Yeah, quite the shocker actually." I said. "Sh-shocker?" Feli asked. I elaborated the news feed to them. "Well… shit. Never would've expected that to happen, on the same day no less." Lemres frowned. Feli perked up with a theory of hers. "Maybe it's fate fucking around with us… why else would these two specific things happen in conjunction with one another?" I would have agreed with her, had I believed in fate and destiny. "Hm, there has to be a reason for this to be… regardless, this not what we are here to do. Lemres, can you get Amitie and the others from Accord's class here? In the meantime, I'll get Ringo and her friends too." He nodded in approval and left. I pulled out my new cell phone and called Ringo. "Hello, Ringo? No... answer? I know that this is her number… ***gasp*** something bad must have happened to her! There's no way that she would miss a call at a time like this!" I realized. "What?!" Feli and Klug exclaimed. "Feli, can you stay here and alert everyone of this when they arrive? That would be great if you did." "Sure Dave, as a friend, I can't let you down." I nodded to her. "Thanks! C'mon Klug, we need to find Ringo, make a portal to Suzuran High for us." "Sure! Anything to help me in the end. If this is what it takes, then I'll help you help me." He creates the portal and we traveled through. What we saw next would horrify us heavily. "W-what happened here?!" I exclaimed. The sky was dark and eerie, the school was also on fire. "Look, Dave! Someone's on the ground, injured!" Klug yelled. It was Risukuma, his fur was torn and he had bruises all over. "Oh my God! Risukuma, speak to me, what happened here?!" He opens his eyes slightly. "D-Dave, is that you?" "Ris, where's Ringo? She didn't answer my call and now I'm worried for her." Risukuma mustered in more words. "Dave, Ringo is still inside the school, but… watch out… for… him…" He passes out after that. "Wait, watch out for who?!" It was too late though, I couldn't get another word out of him. "Damnit, when I find out who did this… Klug, we need to enter that school." He agreed and we went in hoping to find Ringo.

I decided that we should check the junior locker area, especially since that's where most of the fire was burning from. We were close enough that we began to pick up on a conversation between two people. "I don't understand, why would you do all of this... I thought we were... best friends… all throughout childhood." That was Ringo talking, but I didn't know who was the other person, at first. I silently tried looking over from a corner when my eyes widened in sheer terror. The other person was Maguro, but he didn't look the same as before. His face showed an evil grin moving across his face, and I saw Ringo on the floor, mortified. She also had heavy bruises, mostly on her cheeks. She was tearing up too from it. For once, I saw his eyes, they were a deep red, almost like blood. Ringo was going to get hurt from whatever this guy would throw at her. I grew angry as a result from this. Klug saw it too, getting hit just as hard by this revelation. I gestured to Klug that I would strike Maguro while he was unaware of my presence. I waited until Maguro's back was turned, then I went. Running up behind him as quietly as I could and… "Yah!" I punched him hard. "Oof! Argh… Who the hell did that to my lovely mug…?" "What do you think you're doing to Ringo, you bastard?!" I yelled at him. "D-Dave… it's you…" Ringo whimpered. He turned around to look at me. "Oh… hehehe… hahahahahaha! So the new guy thinks that he can save dear Ringo from me." I was pissed at this point. "I said… What. The. Hell. Were. You. Doing. To. Ringo?! Answer the question, asshole!" He can only grin and laugh at my horror and anger. Klug remained close to Ringo, taking care of her for me. "Fine, I'll answer your question, _"Hero of Justice"_. Y'see, Ringo has been all too oblivious of my love for her all these years… neglectin' me even. She always friend zoned me completely, but why though? She always went on adventures with Arle and Amitie. As for me, she never invited me to be with her for these things. Being pushed over to the sidelines every time…! I can't tell ya how infuriating it is! This is especially true when you came along… Dave!" He gave me a such a piercing glare, I shot up for a second. "Wh-what?! What are you insinuating?!" I asked. "C'mon, I know that you're too smart to not to notice the problem with your recent appearance…" I paused for a few gathering up my thoughts. "I see, you became jealous of me because you presumed that I won over Ringo's heart, despite me being a recent outsider to this world." He then smiled devilishly and started clapping slowly. "That's the ticket… give the young man a prize." "But, I do have to ask Maguro, why go so far with this when you could have just confessed your love to Ringo? Why beat her up like this, and who helped you burn this school?" I asked. His smile soon faded and instead turned into hatred. "Fool! I would've confessed to her by now if I hadn't already! She rejected me, but I didn't let that stop me this time… As for the fire that started here, you can trace that back to Dioge Stanford. I happen to work for him as a matter of fact..." Klug couldn't believe it. "What?! But that's my father's name! Where the hell is he?! I seek revenge on him!"

Maguro grinned again. "So you are his alleged son, Klug Stanford. Your dad told me a great deal about you a several days ago. And so, I told him my story too...we eventually came up with a way to compromise a plan. A plan where I can get my love at long last... as well as have me take you down for him… since you were a disgrace to the Stanford family, right Klug?" "I should have known, you were too calm when _"reacting"_ to what happened on Saturday. You didn't sound too surprised by it. That must have meant to you that I was distracted and couldn't see Ringo much today. You took full advantage of the situation and created another problem that is currently standing in my way!" I deduced. He was impressed with me deducing all of this. "Very perceptive of you…" He then dashed past me and tackled Klug. "Ow!" Klug yelled. "Klug, no!" I yelled. Maguro grabbed hold of Ringo with one arm. "Ah!" Ringo yelped. "RINGO! You son of a bitch, let her go now!" His evil grin stretched deeper on his face. "Hehehe… she's all mine, no way I'll ever let go of this beauty. To make sure you won't steal her from me, I'll take her virginity!" "M-Maguro, no!" Ringo yelled He used his free hand to reach down and go under her skirt. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! Are you seriously wanting to go this far... BY SEXUALLY ASSAULTING AN INNOCENT GIRL?!" I exclaimed. He laughed at me uncontrollably. "HAHAHAHAHA! Maybe now, Ringo can respect me the way that I want to be respected!" Ringo rejected the thought of Maguro's. "Hell… no Maguro, you betrayed our friendship!" "Ah, but you betrayed my love for you first, it's only fair…" He said. "Gravity's…" Klug muttered before… "Ack-!" "Ah, ah, ah… that's a big no-no. I won't be havin' anymore surprise attacks thrown at me." Maguro waved his finger. "D-damn you…!" There was nothing that I could do to stop Maguro. If I tried to use my own spells on him myself, he would have most likely used Ringo as a shield to save his own hide. I didn't want to hurt her accidentally… not after the emotional and physical pain that she had already gone through. I kept staring at the shit bag as he stood still, then something neither of us expected came to light. "Hrgh!" We heard a voice, it was one I recognized, Jace's voice. "Arghghghghghgh!" Maguro screamed as he was being electrocuted. He fell to the floor on his back and Ringo was finally safe. "J-Jace! How long were you here for?" I wondered. "Since this garbage held onto Ms. Ando here." Jace was agitated with this whole thing cause by Maguro. "Now, since Maguro committed not one, but two crimes on school grounds... he will be arrested by Suzuran police. I'll get on with calling 991, right now." I had to ask Jace a simple question first before he called. "Hold on Jace, I have something to ask... can I interrogate the guy for one question before he is arrested. I, as well as Klug here, we want... specific information from him." He seemed rather perplexed by this. "Wait, what do you mean? What the hell is going on here?! He asked, looking as stern as ever. I explained everything to Jace that involves Klug's father being a criminal. "I'm beginning to see your agenda… however, don't you think this is a bit out of your authority, if you even have any that is…" "Jace, I have more friends around who are going to help us look for Mr. Stanford. And when we do, we'll pin him down and let authorities handle things from there. That's what the plan is anyway, we found a lead that he is somewhere in the forest of Primp. That is the question that I'll be asking him. So Maguro tell me, where is Dioge Stanford exactly? And don't lie either, if you do not tell the truth, you will receive another dose of that stun gun from Jace. Isn't that right Jace?" Jace started to agree with me, knowing that I wanted further leads to stop Dioge. "Yes, if you do not comply, you will get shocked until you do tell truthfully." Maguro gave up at that point. "Alright, I'll tell you, there's a structure in the inner part of the forest by the largest tree of all." I was pleased with his lack of rebelling against me."Very well... Jace, you can have him arrested now... I'll be sure to make this up to you somehow."

Ringo was still in fear from all that crazy shit, so I comforted her. "S-so, Maguro will be arrested for life?" She asked. "Most likely, he was an accomplice in burning the school and tried to sexually assault you, technically two crimes." She wasn't taking this well at all. "Okay... look Ringo, Maguro was living as a selfish person. I'm sure that you two had some good memories from your childhood, but I think that it's best to forget about them. You don't want to be reminding yourself of this day, do you?" Ringo hesitated for a moment. "N-no, I realize now that he was driving himself down a dark path. There was no saving him after what he did today." I was happy with the response she gave me. "Ringo, I think you're one step closer to becoming an adult. Sometimes, you gotta realize that you must move on from stuff that are very hurtful… and just keep trucking forward." I smiled and she smiled back as I helped her up. "Speaking of moving on... shouldn't we be going somewhere else, Dave?" Klug suggested. "Ah, that's right… Ringo, I called you earlier, but you didn't pick up. That's how I found you here, in this hellhole. As to why I called you…" I explained everything to her. "I see, so that's why you were interrogating Maguro... you found out that this _"Dioge"_ fled to the forest of Primp." "That's right and we need to get there and stop him. Now, I need you to go home Ringo, you're hurt and I don't want your family to panic. Risukuma might still be laying down outside the school, so do me a favor and help him out too, okay?" Her eyes were widened for a minute, but soon understood how Ris might have been injured. "'Kay, I got you Dave, I'll do what you have said." She pushed along away from us. "Okay Klug, let's go back to the others, they might have been waiting longer than anticipated." He nodded and made a portal back to Primp Magic School.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave, Klug, and Ringo found a truth they did not expect. Maguro, the supposed best friend of Ringo's, goes rogue by being a lackey for Dioge Stanford. He tries to get his way with Ringo after many years prior. However, he and his plan were foiled by Jace. Maguro is now planned to be arrested for his crimes. Although despite that, the justice delivery is not over yet. Now it will be time for Dioge to fall at the hands of Dave and Klug. Next chapter, Chapter 8: Revenge and Justice.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Revenge and Justice**

We arrived back at Primp Magic School where everyone else was waiting, more people than I expected too. I guess that there were others that wanted to help out too. "Where were you guys? You've been gone for like an hour!" Amitie was pouting and everyone else tapped their foots in impatience and irritation. "Okay, see here guys, Ringo isn't doing too well. She was targeted by one who works for Klug's father, he had beaten her to where she became defenseless." Everyone reacted to this immediately. "***gasp***" Klug continued for me. "It's fine though, we stopped this worker bee and rescued Ringo, thanks to this Jace fellow." I finished the updates. "Through interrogation, we discovered the exact location of the person we have all been looking for in the forest…" "Uh excuse me, but who was the _"worker bee" _of Klug's father?" Lidelle asked. "Anyone here know of Maguro? He was the one responsible for not only hurting Ringo, but also being an accomplice of setting Suzuran High ablaze." I said and everyone exclaimed. "What?!" What followed after was a series of voices in chaos, all of them discussing in confusion. "Everyone! Please calm yourselves!" It all stops at my spoken words and silence returns. "This is not going to get us anywhere. We need to hunt this criminal down, we cannot let him get away with this terrorism in both Primp and Suzuran. Who's with me?" I asked. "We are!" Everyone replied. "Good, follow us, we know the location that-" I get cut off. "Hold on! I need you to know who I am first before we strike." I was confused. "Who is this? Come to the front of the group so that I can see you." It was a girl's voice, sounded somewhat tomboyish. Then she came to view, this girl had lightly plated armor and looked to be adventurous. A cape flew behind and her hair was a bright orange with a ponytail. "It's so nice to meet you finally, Amitie told me a bunch about you. As a fellow mage, I say hi to you. I'm Arle Nadja!" "Uuuum, hi… Did you mean to say that you're a friend of Amitie's and a mage, Arle?" I questioned as she smiled and giggled. "We go back a few years as friends, let's leave it at that…" "I see… AH! Wh-what is that thing Arle?!" She realized what I was reacting to. "Aw, hahaha! You mean Carby? Don't worry, he's my little friend here." Carby stares at me and smiles blankly. "Gu! Gugugu!" I assumed that he liked me. "Um... alright then, introductions out of the way… can we all move on to what we truly are here to set out on?" I asked and everyone else nodded. "Then let's go into the damned forest then, before it gets dark out…" We all enter in as the large group that we are.

The forest was dense, but we knew where to find Dioge. It only took us a while, but other things happened on the way. "So... hey Dave, how good are you with magic? Amitie told me that you are one to shock the world with your spells, but I haven't seen them." Arle wondered. "Oh, you'll surely see me in action once I brawl with the criminal. I have three spells that I can use right now, they're potent but I still lack absolute control of them. The only things changing the power of these puppies are my emotions. As you might expect... when I fight for others as an example, I release true power." Arle was in awe. "Wow, so you battle to protect your friends? That's very noble of you, you're kind of like someone else I know, Schezo, except not sounding as perverted as him…" I didn't know who Schezo was at the time. "Hm, who is that Arle? I'm sure that he's cool beyond that trait, I'd like to meet him someday…" We marched until a silhouette came to view, it was the building by the largest tree. All just like what Maguro said to be true. "Alright, we found it guys, but I see guards surrounding the perimeter. I'm going to split everyone up into separate teams. Me, Arle, and Amitie will be Team 1. Lemres, Feli, and Klug will be Team 2. Raffina, Lidelle, and Tarutaru will be Team 3." I kept constructing teams for the group so we can cause some mayhem. Since there were other people that I did not know of, they introduced themselves to me. Some of them felt more significant than others. "Hi, I'm the lovable Draco Centauros and can I say this? Maaaan you look handsome!" She flattered me a little as I observed her looks. She was half-girl, half-dragon. It intrigued me to say the least, with her beautiful looks, green hair and all. Then this guy came up, he didn't seem to exhibit much emotion. One eye, as well as one hand on his were red. "Who are you?" He looked up at me "Sig... just Sig." He said in a monotone voice. "Oookay then…" I said awkwardly. And then lastly I meet yet another friend of Arle's it seemed. "Why hello there, my name is Rulue, so Arle wanted to me to help in this cause… I decided to go for the greater good of it all. By the way, I'm known to many as a beauty with incredible martial arts skill. My kicks can easily crack a boulder in two... behold, the power of the fighting queen!" I was stunned at her fighting spirit. "I-I see, I'm impressed."

So I now had organized all of the teams, which there are now six. I laid down the pathway for everyone right here. "Alright, here's the plan. Teams 1 and 2 are to go through the front entrance, but not before a little diversion takes place… Teams 3 and 4 will distract the guards at the front part of the building. Meanwhile, Teams 5 and 6 will do the same for the back side, any questions?" No one had anything ask beforehand it seemed. "Okay, let's do this guys, get into your positions." I commanded. We all went to our designated locations to wait. I eventually waved a signal to Teams 3 and 4 to go, and then they made one for Teams 5 and 6. My plan was officially in motion, the guards noticed and took the bait. "Alright Teams 1 and 2 let's breach the criminal's hideout!" I yelled. We ran as fast as we could to the double-doors and rammed them with all our might. "Hwoooooogh!" We all yelled. ***boom*** The doors opened and we successfully entered the building. There were a few rooms on the side, but we kept heading straight. I saw a door at the end of the hallway labeled Mr. Stanford. "This has to be it guys, follow me!" We bashed through the singular door and we're met with surprise from the man himself. "What the hell?! How did a bunch of brats get in here, who are you, and what have you done with my underlings?!" He clearly looked steamed. As I said something in response, I noticed that he had quite the mustache and beard, as well as wearing a black suit. "Dioge Stanford… I take it you are? We've been tracking you down for a while, you can thank your subordinate Maguro for allowing us to find this location. And just for the record Mr. Stanford, we are not brats. We're here to take vengeance on you and have justice deliver you to prison where you belong!" He panicked for a minute. "Damn you! I won't have you children capture me so easily! If you truly know who I am, then you should be afraid of the magic that I carry… Tectonic Shift!" The ground started to shake beneath us. "Whoa-oh-oh-oh!" We all exclaimed. All of us collided with the ground hard as we groaned in agony. "Hahahaha! Now you know the consequences of messing with me…" "Hold it right there!" I heard a voice, it was Klug. "I have some personal business with you…" He said. "Ha, who are you to tell me that?" Dioge questioned. "I see, so you do not recognize me after all of these years…" "Recognize…? Who are you, specifically?" Klug told Dioge the truth about himself. "Father, it is me... your son, Klug… I am here with my friends to make you repent for the sins that you have created throughout these years!" "WHAT?! I thought I disposed of you the day that I left the family…!" Dioge was boiling and seething with rage. "Well you didn't, I am still alive. That day was your biggest mistake of all, Father... because that was when you decided to turn to a life a crime. Not only that, but you brought shame to the family by leaving, tearing up honor and dignity. You were so fixated on achieving perfection... that you forgot human morale! To me, I no longer see you as my father, instead just an empty shell that is occupied by a ruthless demon. You know, originally I wanted to kill you for your transgressions, however very much has changed. I knew that if I were to get blood on my hands, I would be no better than you. Additionally, it'll be more satisfying seeing you rot away in a cell for the rest of your life. Dave here has shown me the way. He showed me that there is more than one way to resolve a criminal issue. And if you cannot see one, then improvise with the best of intentions! I used to be scared of you, Father... but that has changed since that day. As a matter of fact, I'll no longer call you "_Father" _at this point. You disgraced the family too much, prepare yourself Dioge!" Dioge was angrier than before. "You insolent excuse for a son, you dare cast my relation to you as parent away?!" I decided to cut in. "It seems you still don't understand Mr. Stanford, Klug doesn't want to be associated with one who turned his back on his own family!" "SILENCE! This has nothing to do with you, what would you know about the Stanford family?! They are a bunch of pansies that don't strive for perfect results!"

Dioge casts another spell, directly targeting me this time. "Fist of Might!" He yells. "Oh… shit…" The magic fueled fist struck me hard. "OOF-! AHHH!" I flew around and made impact with the wall before falling back now on the ground. "Oooooh…" I was barely conscious, I couldn't move my body, but I was still able to hear voices clear as day. "DAVE!" Everyone yelled. Then I heard footsteps from the other teams enter the room and then, reactions upon reactions started. Some people came up to me, Arle, Amitie, Klug, Sig, and Draco. "D-Dave?!" Arle cried. I saw her tears as well as Amitie's, they were truly concerned for my well-being. Everyone else roared out a battle cry and began fighting bravely against Dioge in my absence. "Even more of these brats showed up, how many are there?!" And so, Dioge was kept busy. "A-Arle… Amitie… Klug… all of you… ***cough cough cough***. I've never... felt pain like this before… I think… my vitals will... give in." "Don't say that! I wanted to know who you were on the inside, I'm not gonna give up on you like this!" Arle said. "Me too, I liked you being at Primp Magic School with us, Dave…" Amitie added on. "I'm sure that our friendship will pull through somehow…" Klug hoped. "You're too cool to lose at the hands of this dick." Sig inspired. "I can't say goodbye to a hot guy like you, Dave…!" Draco pleaded. "Well… if you guys... believe in me... not to die here now… then does someone here have healing magic?" Arle spoke up. "I do, but it's not enough, I need other powers to combine it with to completely heal you right away." "Wait, I have this dragon stone that is meant to help relieve pain…" Draco pulled out the stone and I smiled loosely. "We have the powers then... in this little circle. I have an idea… of mine… that I wish to see work." I discussed the idea to them, basically stuffing the dragon stone with a one time heal, combined with specific attributes. All for me to take into my body, one attribute from each person. I asked each of them what their single greatest strength in battle is currently. Arle's was hope, Amitie's was optimism, Klug's being wisdom, Sig's being resilience, and finally Draco's was ferocity. I told them to exert that one attribute into the stone, to which they did. "Okay… Draco, what… is next?" I asked. "Hold the stone close to your body, it should start to seep in through your skin by itself. She responded. The stone will then do the magic and fix you up." I did what she told me to do, and it worked like a charm. Any wounds or broken bones that I had before were gone, and I felt more empowered than ever before. I stood up and discovered a new power deep inside, it called out for me. "Come, you must take your stance as the new Demonic Dragon Warrior. Otherwise, you might not be able to save your friends from destruction." A deep voice in my mind said. "Very well, I accept the pact to be this _"Demonic Dragon Warrior"_, so that I may defeat those I hate for all the right reasons." I finished saying that in my mind and I received this most recent power.

I stood up as though no pain had been brought to me."Alright everyone, I'm fine now, you may cease your fighting so that you can save your own lives!" I alerted them as they all were relieved and rushed back behind me for safety. "H-how is this possible? I knocked your ass all the way to a wall, YOU SHOULDN'T BE STANDING!" Dioge yelled. "Well Dioge, there's something that you did not account for, my friends. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be still alive. That's something that you don't have... you don't have others to rely on for help. And back to the whole "_perfection"_ thing, you should know that humans aren't made for perfection. We are sinful by nature and have limitations that shackle us from anything that we are not meant to do. However, we try to do the best we can with good intentions, despite that. It's not perfection, hell no it isn't, but I think it's better off that way. Obtaining power that is not meant for humans can be world ending. That's why I fight for what I believe is good, to purge out evil before it consumes us all. Case and point, you are a part of that evil that shouldn't exist in this world. If you truly have a change of heart, then I will forgive you. So what is your response to my words of wisdom, buddy?" I asked as Dioge continued to rage. "Like hell I will change who I am, I will never leave the way of perfection, you bitch!" He screamed at me. "Alright Mr. Stanford, you asked for this, you have sealed your own fate! Hrrrrrrrrrrr… RAH!" A black and red colored armor covered me up to my neck. This armor kind of looked like scales of a dragon, I was awed by the look of it. "Woah… This is fucking cool… Anyway, time to take this on a test drive, Raaaaaaah!"

I threw out a punch towards him, noticing that my agility is greater than before. He didn't have time to react before I made contact. "UOGH!" He screamed. I then roundhouse kicked him toward the wall behind him. "Ack-!" He limped while trying to stand up. "Give it up Dioge, you can't win, this is checkmate." "This… isn't over yet… brat! I still have one ace up my sleeve, and it's right here." He moves over to a nearby lever, which he proceeds to flip. "Hehehe, you all have a nice trip now..." "What do you mean by that? Answer me damn-AAAAAAAAAAH!" I heard everyone else scream behind me, he activated a trap door. I fell into what seemed to be a dungeon, all of my friends followed along. "That… bastard! He had that trump card just in case he was going to be screwed! Everyone, are you okay?" I hear a response from Arle. "We're fine Dave, barring a few bruises or so." We all began to worry. "I-isn't there a way out of here?" Lidelle asked, frightened. "I hope there is, otherwise... everything that we've done up to now will have been for nothing. Let's start looking for a way out." I told everyone. We started looking for a possible exit out of here, but to no avail. "No way! We're stuck down here?!" Amitie yelled. "Looks like it, Amitie… got any other ideas, Dave?" Lemres asked. "Hm… well if I see where we fell from… I got it. If we can't find an exit, we'll just have to make one! Rulue, I need your martial art expertise. We're gonna be punching holes upward through this wall until we feel a breeze." Rulue was happy to help out with a nod. "I don't mind getting myself dirty if it means that we can get out of this hellhole." She said. "Alright, on a count of three, we'll starting drilling through… one… two… three!" We started to perform this arduous task. At first, it went by slowly, but once we got past the concrete... the rest of it was like a hot knife going through butter. We were panting and whatnot, but we didn't care. All that me and Rulue were concerned about was freeing everyone. By the time that we were done, dirt covered us in a layer. "Everyone, the pathway to escape has been created, follow us!" Everyone else cheered for us as we guided them out. Once that was taken care of, I was hellbent on stopping Dioge. "I do have to say Dave, your technique is quite admirable, I'm impressed." Rulue complimented me. "Aw, come on, you're making me embarrassed…" I said bashfully. "Um hello, we have something important to do…" Klug reminded me. "Oh yes, let us finish what we intended on." We arrived back at his office where he was heard speaking to himself. "Ah, things are so much better when there aren't people trying to ruin my crime life…" I decide to act like a smartass and smile. "You wanna run that by me again, Chief?" Dioge jumped and turned around. "WHAT?! How did you-?!" I cut his questioning off. "I told you Mr. Stanford, it's over for you. Time for you to realize that, Heavenly Flare!" I flashed the strong light to distract him. "Rrrrr! It's so… bright!" I got close to him and used a new spell of mine. "Klug! Use your gravity spell on him now!" Klug yells out his spell. "Gravity's Strength!" Dioge was held in place. "Wh-what? I can't move!" He exclaimed. "Claw... of Shadows!" I yelled. "ARGH!... oooough…" Dioge screamed. I knocked him out after slashing his face.

Dioge Stanford was at last, defeated. I came out victorious in the end. "And that's how you properly stop a criminal…" I said. I heard cheers from all around me as well as stuff like _"Great job!"_. My dragon armor faded away automatically. "So… who can call the police to get this guy?" I asked. "I can…" This came from a voice that I didn't expect. "Jace, you're here?" "I have just arrived to see that the guards have been knocked unconscious, and now Dioge as well… Anyway, I'll take him off of your hands if you don't mind…" He proceeds to call the police of Primp Town. "Very nice, good job everyone, for helping me and Klug." I say as Klug goes to face me. "Dave, I just want to say… thank you for everything…" I smiled to him. "No problem, not just us, but everyone else is happy too. We have re-established peace in this world and in Suzuran. Klug, I am just as grateful to you as you are to me…" We all begin to leave from this place. We may have had wounds and hardships throughout the battle… however with hope and friendship, we pulled through in the end. And now, we looked forward to what the future holds for us all, whether it is good or bad. Little did I know though, this would only be the beginning of my crazy new life.

* * *

**Author's Notes: This is the last chapter that'll have a big focus on story for a little while. The next few chapters at least will be more… humorous and less serious. I mean, I can't have all of this be just action filled. What I'm saying is that there needs to be some downtime for the characters. All to either bring lighthearted fun or different character development to fruition.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: A Much ****Needed Break**

It has been about a month since the scandal involving Dioge Stanford. All has been quite for the time, but I felt like it was getting a little monotonous. I wanted change, one day (or a few) where I can say _"This is something that can't ever be replicated"_. Luckily that came by when everything was too samey for my liking. In Accord's class, this very thing appeared before us. "Okay kiddies, we have something special planned for you. Ever since that criminal was put behind bars, we wanted to give you something in return as thanks." Accord pulled out what seemed to be a flyer for an island resort. "These islands here together make up what is known as the Puyo Isles. The biggest of these five islands has the resort that we'll being staying for a whole week starting tomorrow morning. We will meet up outside Primp Magic School, at the special vehicle station. Now, I should say this as well, we're not the only ones joining in this fun excursion. Several students of other classes will come with us, as well as a select few from Suzuran High and other places. And don't worry about missing in-class assignments and such in this period of time… You will be humbly excused from those until the first day that you're back in school." She smiled after saying all of that. Me and my friends were in wonder and loved the idea of going to a tropical paradise. "Can you believe it? Just think of what we can do there, like going to its beach!" Amitie dreamed. "It'll sure be a hell of a trip." Raffina added. "I can swim in salt water for the first time…!" Lidelle realized. "I really do like to hang back and relax whenever necessary." Tarutaru said. Klug turned to face me. "How do you feel about all of this, Dave? I enjoy getting some time off every now and again…" I replied to him with a simple answer. "Well Klug, being able to spend more time with my friends is a huge plus. Besides, this could make an unforgettable experience that I want to cherish… not just for myself, but for everyone who's going." He nods in agreement. "Exactly, I know that this is going to be a nice change of pace for ourselves." The class ends and I return home to a surprise. "Hey you're back, I have something awesome to tell you, Dave!" Ringo said. I'll be one of a few Suzuran High students going to a place known as the Puyo Isles for a week." I was shocked that she was one of them going. "You too?" I asked. "Waaait, you are part of this too? That is too damn cool…" Ringo said. "I know, did you tell your family about this yet, Ringo?" She answered me quickly. "About myself going? Yes. But they don't know that you're coming with me." She goes to another room where her parents to tell them. Ms. Ando comes into my view. "Aw, this is so cute... Dave staying at the Puyo Isles with my precious daughter…" Ringo blushes in embarrassment "M-Mom! You're embarrassing me, stop it!" She exclaimed. This made Ms. Ando remind herself of something. "Oh yes, Dave… since the area around the Puyo Isles is tropical, you'll need clothes better suited for that climate." Once again, she preemptively bought me clothes for this kind of situation. It was almost like she can see the future in a way. Barring that, this was plenty for me for the next week. "Well uh… thanks again, Ms. Ando." I said. I eat, take a shower and then sleep in early.

Me and Ringo prepared our things first thing early in the morning and left for Primp. "Okay Dave, we have to get someone else first since they can't travel to Primp on their own." I was told. I found out this person was Risukuma. "Hey there Risukuma, fancy seeing you coming with us." I said. "You know, at first I skeptical that this was beneficial to me, but then I came to realize something. I could expand my scientific knowledge beyond chemistry… I could focus a little more on biology of all kinds, astrology… things like that. These islands should provide us with some interesting creatures that we do not normally encounter." We eventually got to the station outside the school and already saw some familiar faces. Amitie, Raffina, Klug, Lidelle, Lemres, Feli, Arle, Sig, Rulue and finally, Draco. "Hey guys, what's up?" I asked as they noticed us. "Hey there champ, we're doin' great." Lemres said. "Where's Tarutaru?" I wondered. Raffina filled me in on things concerning him. "Dave, Tarutaru couldn't make it, he had some... personal matters back home, he just texted me about that." Klug stepped in for a bit to address something. "Although, another issue has seemed to take shape…" Klug said. "What is it?" I questioned. "Well, it's been about thirty minutes since we've gotten here... and Ms. Accord is nowhere to be seen. If we don't have our chaperone, then we can't go to or stay at the resort." He explained. "Hmm… How about we go look for her before it's too late…?" I suggested. Then I hear a voice. "No need for that, I'm here now, my apologies." It was Ms. Accord. "As soon as I bring it up, she appears…" Klug sounding a little downtrodden. "What can I say Klug? This is how life messes with us…" I hear someone else call for my name, it was Arle. "Dave! Remember when you wanted to meet Schezo? Well… I brought him along with us and told him about you!" She said cheerfully. Schezo had white hair and a headband, as well as a sword by his side. "A-Arle! I didn't want to go the Puyo Isles, remember the last time we were on an island?! I nearly died from heat stroke!" He yelled, but then takes a look at me. "Huh, so you are Dave… Hmph, you don't look so tough…" "I should say the same thing about you Schezo, but I do like your headband though." Schezo laughs halfheartedly at my comment. "That's just because I'm not wearing my cloak, as I should as a dark mage..." Arle cuts into our conversation. "Schezo, c'mon... be more happy about this. It's better than staying in a dark cave, alone. Besides, Satan is not around to be seen and ruining this…" I interrupt her. "W-wait, Satan? Who's that Arle?" She sighs and explains. "Satan is in every sense of the word, a villain. He's not heartlessly evil, but he's typically up to no good. Most of his actions revolve around trying to get me to be engaged with him." I took in the information. "I-I can see why you don't like him, he sounds like a pain in the ass to me…" She nods. "Ah, there's our ride!" Amitie yelled. "Ooooo, I'm so excited!" Ringo chimed. The special vehicle made the stop and the door opened. "Welp, let's go everybody, and start having some fun!" I announced. Everyone except Schezo, was just as pumped. "Yeah!" We all entered in a single file line. This vehicle was different from the usual bus-like one. It had one driver's seat and the body was very large and circular. Since this particular vehicle was more round, the passenger seats all wrapped around in a circle. I didn't think much of it at first, but I realized that it could facilitate conversations with the whole group. In other words, this was going to be fun before we would get to our destination. I couldn't count exactly how many seats there were. I just knew that the amount was over twenty. Each of these seats is for one person to sit on, they include a seat belt too. I ended up sitting by my closest friends obviously. I was in between Ringo and Feli, Lemres and Risukuma would be next to Feli and Ringo respectively. So to put it in simple terms I was in the middle, so I can talk to anyone that I chose. The others were scattered across the ring. Arle, Schezo, and Draco sat together, talking like they were old friends.

The flying circle started up and before we knew it, into crossing the dimensions we went. Then, we heard an automated, artificial voice speak through a digital word generator. "Welcome one and all, to the official Puyo Isles Transportation System. We are now on our way to the Puyo Isle Resort. This lovely getaway location is home to many different activities and privileges for anyone staying. Sunbathe, swim, and explore around the Puyo Isle Beach coast. Take a round or two at the Puyo Miniature Golf Course. Spar it out with other guests in the Puyo Isle Training Grounds. Our restaurant, Le Puyior, offers a wide array of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, you can't forget about the legendary dessert that made Le Puyior famous… Puyo Gelatin with whipped cream. This special gelatin, you cannot get it anyway else. Available in five flavors by default and coming soon to the public is the Rainbow Puyo Gelatin. This rainbow taste sensation will have all five of the normal flavors incorporated in equal sections. Hotel rooms are rich, spacious, and comfortable... in addition to being numerous. This transportation system will now display the time it will currently take to get the resort. Until then, we hope that you enjoy your journey, and the resort itself." The voice then fades out as the destination time remains. It read, an hour and fifteen minutes remaining, so we would be in there for a while. The best way to let time pass by is talking and coming up with random topics. Draco brought up one that caught all of our attention. "So uh… who do we think is the best looking guy and girl out of us who's here?" I responded to question. "Wait… You mean like who from each gender, is sexiest?!" Everyone else's jaws drop instantly as they yell. "WHAT?!" Draco laughs awkwardly. "Hehehe… yeah that, Dave…" As we recovered from surprise, we started taking this a little more seriously. "Okay then, let's have the supposed pervert's thought about who's the sexiest girl here... Schezo?" I said as he immediately denies my request and his cheeks became bright red. "Oh hell no! I'm not getting my meat beaten up over something like this!" We all sat there in awkward silence after he said that. "What?" he asked. "Schezo, did you really have to put the word "_meat"_ before _"beaten"_...? Arle pointed out. "Yeah dude, you've really made yourself out to be a pervert…" Sig said. "Sh-Shut up! Grrrr…" Schezo tried to calm down. "Look Schezo, you might as well go through it, we already think of you as one, so might as well take advantage of that. Say what's ever on your mind so that you don't have to bear it on yourself later." I say as Schezo sighs. "Very well, so who the sexiest girl is…" He starts scouting over all of the girls and finds his choice, pointing to Raffina. "Her, those legs are undeniably gorgeous, and I won't lie... that pink hair is definitely something to desire with those curls." Raffina's face brightened at the comment. "Ugh, what kind of sick fetishes do you have?" She said to him. "Hey, I'm just pointing out a fact, one that I can definitely see being true!" Raffina just continues to pout at him and I get asked a question from Draco. "So Dave, just curious, who... do you like?" My eyes widen in confusion. "Me? Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh….. I dunno, do I have to say who? If this was truth or dare, then I wouldn't have much choice. Besides, even if I wanted too, I'm...just not familiar enough with you girls. Kind of makes me anxious just thinking about it…" I felt more uneasy about this conversation as time went on.

I hear no voice create a single peep for a couple of minutes. Probably because everyone else was collecting their own thoughts about what I just said. I feel a hand grab my shoulder, it was Ringo's. "Dave, the last thing that we want to see is our hero feeling down during a time that we are supposed to be happy… So please, don't let anxiety get to you." Amitie comes in to my aid too. "Yeah, I gave you the power of optimism, being able to see things on the bright side… If I don't see you look at those in that way, then I feel sad with you." Finally, Arle tells me this… "Dave, I'm sure you'll get to know us girls better with this special trip. There'll be time to bond, I'm certain of it." I sit back up after I hear all of these words of support and see the nods of all the girls. "Th-thank you Ringo, Amitie, and Arle... I'm fine now." Schezo comes in. "I hate to be interrupting this comfort discussion… BUT DON'T I GET A SAY IN THIS?! You're letting him off scot-free and yet, you don't respect my words and opin-" Arle slapped him hard. "You idiot, don't you see?! Not only is Dave nicer about this stuff, but you have a rude attitude. This is why the girls don't like you, Schezo!" "I-I, Arle…" Schezo was overwhelmed by this, I needed to do something to calm him down. "Stop you two! It's okay, I forgive Schezo... as long as he swears by honor, that he improves his behavior." "What?! Never! I follow my own rules as a dark mage, dammit! I decide what I want to do, not you!" I decided to make him scared of what happens if he were to test me. "Okay Schezo you asked for it, you're looking at the guy who defeated Dioge Stanford, and placed him behind bars. I ask you this, what would happen if you were to pick a fight with me at my full strength? I'll be waiting for your answer when you are ready…" He was shocked. "D-Dioge, you defeated a man that powerful, like him?" I nod my head, I thought that would make Schezo want to have better etiquette. Of course, it worked like a charm, he trembled slightly. As all of this went on Ms. Accord remained as the most quiet person. She hadn't said a single word since entering the flying circle, which I found to be strange.

We all waited around for the rest of the time just enjoying each other's company. The automated voice returned to say another pre-recorded set of lines. "We now approach the Puyo Isle Resort in a few short moments. Before trying to get off, wait until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Make sure to collect your belongings and have a fun time at the Puyo Isle Resort." The voice ends there and the vehicle stops. We collected our stuff and hopped off to see our paradise. "Wow, this is incredible…" I said, taking a look at the surroundings. Accord comes out last from the vehicle. "Kiddies, let's get over to the resort entrance now and get settled into rooms." The vehicle leaves after the driver checked for remaining passengers and we went inside, with our things behind us.

* * *

**Author's Notes: And so for the next few or so chapters, the Puyo Isles will be the setting of the story. Just what could be lying around for our relatable characters to do? Next chapter, Chapter 10: Resort Exploration.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Resort ****Exploration **

Taking a look inside the resort, the interior design was refined and beautiful, so much so that it made me want to cry. The reception desk was large and lively with three receptionists working at a time. One of them notices Accord, and greets her. "Ah, Mistress Accord, how have things been for you lately?" She proceeds to talk to them before they say to us the know how. "Okay, students of Primp and Suzuran, as well as the few other guests… Mistress Accord has paid for all possible expenses, of course with the help of Miss Raffina's family. As she might have already told you, this is designed to help you loosen up and have fun while you're still young. Should you want any further assistance with unexpected issues, consult to these guys." The receptionist directs our attention to a group of four people, one of them, I know. "It is a pleasure to be with all of you for the next week. As the receptionist said, we have only the small task of monitoring things that may go awry. For those who don't know us, allow me to enlighten you. I am Suzuran High Student Council President Jace. The girl in the large lens glasses next to me is the vice president, Kassandra. The guy on the other side of me is the treasurer, Gilbert. Lastly, the troublesome bubbly girl behind us is our secretary, Mari." I couldn't believe my eyes, Jace was here with us. I didn't know why exactly, he had a job to maintain at the school. The one question the kept calling back to me was… _"Why is Jace and the rest of Student Council here, aren't they supposed to be busy with other matters at hand?"_. I rose my hand. "Why, if it isn't Dave… I haven't seen you in this group until now. You blended in and I thought that you skipped out on this whole thing for something rather arbitrary. Anyway, is there a question that you would like to ask?" "Yes, an important one, Jace. Why are you here and should you have more important things to do back at the school?" He pondered for a brief moment. "Hm yes, that is a good question. You see, the school hasn't had a huge problem since that scandal with Dioge Stanford. We figured that, as Student Council, the school will be fine without our supervision for a week. Also, this is a bit of an opportunity for us to have a little bit of fun and recreational spirit. It's only fair, since we work incredibly hard for all those students who remain unaware of our contributions…" "Fair enough Jace, I respect your mindset." I step back toward my friends as Jace continues. "Everyone if you can follow me, I will bring you to the set of rooms where each of you will reside in." We all did what he said, going through hallway after hallway.

"Alright everyone, this specific area is where all of your rooms are at. We took the time to reserve these for each of you. Of course, there's not enough for everybody to get their own rooms… We had to assign roommates to bunk up together. So here's how it'll go, two of you will be together in a room throughout the week. I'll read over the list that Ms. Accord has given to me…" As he goes through that list, my mind only catches onto five of the assigned pairs. "Dave, you will be with Ringo… Lemres alongside Schezo. Arle and Amitie, Raffina and Rulue, Feli and Lidelle…" He goes through the rest with me thinking of another thing. I was the only guy out of the entire group to be paired up with a girl for a room to share. I didn't know why exactly, but I'm sure that I was considered to be a trusted individual. After all, I did save Ringo a month prior. Accord might have done it so that I could be Ringo's bodyguard, most likely. By the off chance that things do go horribly wrong, I'd be there to protect her every step of the way. But whatever the reason may have been, I didn't think about it for too long before returning to reality. "Hey, Earth to Dave…" Ringo said, waving her hand in front of my face. "Oh sorry Ringo, my mind was off doing something else, my bad." I felt stupid for ignoring things that might have been important. "So Dave, I just got the key to our room from Jace, as did everyone else. C'mon, let's see our room ***giggle***!" She unlocked the room door and grabbed my hand. "W-woah!" I exclaimed, and she pulled both of us in there with our stuff. "It's dark in here, I can't see a thing… Normally my eyes are built for darkness, but everything is pitch-black in here." "Lemme see if I can find the light switch, Dave… ah, this must be it." She flipped the switch and light filled the room. "That's much better, Ringo... I can see stuff past my face now. The room sure looks nice, everything tidied up and clean. Okay, let's get our things out of the suitcases…" Ringo nods as we begin and finish relatively fast. "Well, that didn't take as much time as I thought… so it looks like we have plenty of time today. What do you want to do? After all, it's ladies first when it comes to choices and paths to take." She ponders about that for a good five minutes or so before speaking again. "I got it, let's go see how the others are doing! Maybe they want to do things with us too!" I nod. "Sure Ringo, that sounds like a great idea. Although before we go, I have to wonder about something…" I needed to consult her about this oddity about me and her being together in a room. "So uuuum, don't you find it extremely bizarre that we are the only guy and girl pair to share a room? I asked her. "Huh… it didn't even occur to me, yeah that is weird… However, we already did live together back at home, so I don't see how this is THAT different." It looked like I had to explain things to her, straight. "Alright Ringo, I should probably put this into perspective then… So we are a guy and a girl, in a resort room, with no parents to oversee _"stuff"_. People are going to think that we are not just lovebirds, but ones that are deep in love…! Now do you see what I mean?" She stood there silently, but then smiled. "***giggle*** Oh, so that's what you mean, well I had kept a secret from you for the past month. I was wanting to tell you, but never got a solid chance to do so up until now. This is because I couldn't find a time that we two are alone for sure. But, this place presented one for me that I couldn't let slip by. Dave, I must confess something, I fell in love with you after you saved me from Maguro. I realized how emotionally driven you were to save me, you CARED for me and my safety with all your heart! So please, if you care about me so much, do you share the same feelings as I do?" Ringo blushed bright red as I considered my thoughts. "Ringo, I think I have fallen in love too… You have helped me a lot, just as I did for you. Always so kind and understanding, never doubting me for a second. I love you too, Ringo..." We hugged each other as a sign of affection, Ringo smirked and surprise-kissed me. I stood there in awe, a girl ACTUALLY kissed me. "***giggle* **So, how did you like that first kiss?" she asked gingerly. "I'll admit, I enjoyed it very much so…!" She puts her finger on my lips. "Shh… I want this to be a secret for as long as possible, some of the the other girls may get jealous." She said while still smirking. "I… understand, I'll try to keep this as one, hehehe..."

We went to see our friends, but some were already outside of their rooms. Arle, Amitie, Lemres and Feli to be exact. "Well this is something, did you guys finish up quickly too?" I asked. "I figured that we were the first ones to do so..." Lemres answered my question. "Y'see Dave, we didn't start puttin' our things in place. All deciding that we should wait on that and have a lil' fun first." "Well, do you have something in mind, Lemres? Me and Ringo are now looking for entertaining things to do." Amitie enters the conversation. "Yes we do, it'll be super fun! If you're wondering what it is, it's trying out some mini golf!" My head perks up in interest. "What about it Ringo, does that sound fun to you? I think I'll enjoy a game of mini golf." I said. "Sure, ***giggle* **that does sound fun!" She said. "How about we play in two teams of three? Whichever team performs the least overall amount of putt shots is the winning team!" Arle suggested. "Great idea idea, Arle! You better prepare, Dave! I'll knock your putt skill out of the water!" Ringo taunted me. "Heh, so I guess that means it's you, Arle, and Amitie... against me, Lemres and Feli… I would be watchful if I were you, don't ever underestimate me." It was so weird, I never really exuded competitive spirit before, but I was full of it now. We went to the golf course, getting clubs and balls that were more _"optimized" _us. For instance, since me and Lemres were taller than the girls, we had to use longer clubs to better suit us. As for the golf course, we went with the eighteen holed one for a longer game. We ended up having a tie upon reaching the last hole. "Alright Ringo, get a hole-in-one!" Amitie cheered. Ringo had made her shot, but even she couldn't have fully calculated the trajectory. Her golf ball ended up hitting a rail that caused it to roll off course, and not fall in the hole. "No, c'mon! Why now?! We were just about to win for sure!" Ringo exclaimed. "Ringo it's okay, as long as Dave takes three or more shots for his ball to fall in, we'll still win!" Arle tried assuring her. "Alright, time to win this game!" I hollered. I studied the first shot that Ringo took on this hole. Trying to see where she went wrong and I found it. I aimed for the perfect area for the ball to ricochet and end up going in the hole. I made the shot for the hole-in-one. "Come on! You can do it ball!" It kept rolling on toward my target and as if I was gifted with victory… the ball went in. "YES! Wooo-hooo!" I celebrated. "Hey Ringo, that was one hell of a game. You guys kept up in the lead for a while. I'm proud that you were able to make this game unforgettable…" I admitted. Ringo smiled despite losing after taunting me fiercely. "Hey guys, maybe we should get back, it's gettin' dark." Lemres pointed out. "Yeah you're right, let's go back guys." I agreed.

We returned to our rooms, me and Ringo entered, leaving the others outside. Waiting for dinner time to roll around at Le Puyior. "So Ringo, how much did you enjoy the game of mini golf? I had so much fun and we only just got here today. We still have the rest of the week to make something out of this resort." Ringo quickly blurts out. "I had a wonderful time with that game, even if I ended up losing in the end due to a miscalculation." She smiles sweetly at me after saying that.. More time passed and now was dinner at Le Puyoir. Everyone met at the big banquet table reserved for us. I had a special chair that was more comfortable than others to sit on. "Oh wow, this chair…! This certainly feels luxurious." I said. "This is only the beginning, Dave." Accord told me. "Alright everybody, take your seats and decide what to order before the waiters come in. In the meantime... I want this to be a celebration, as well as a thank you to Dave. Without him and his leadership, none of us would have been able to put Dioge Stanford away in prison. Let us take a moment of silence to give respect to Dave now…" Jace spoke. About a minute passes and he speaks again. "You may now go about with separate discussions among your peers as you wish." He finishes. My friends talk with one another after, some on the topic of dinner orders. "So Dave, what are you getting as your main course?" Arle asked. "Well… I haven't really decided that, this menu is quite extensive. It's so hard to choose from this large of a selection. Do you know what you are going to have, Arle?" I asked her. "It's curry of course! Let's just say that curry is my favorite thing to eat…" She said. "Let's see… Oh! There's fried mackerel, I always wanted to know how this fish tastes like. And, that would complement itself with a glass of lemonade so well..." I dreamed. From that point, I knew what I wanted by the time the waiters and waitresses came. They took everyone's orders, including mine and prepped to deliver the food to the table. It all came and looked amazing, I was just about to drool when I stopped myself. There it was... the fried mackerel, it appeared to be so succulent. I knew that I was going to enjoy eating this fish but before then, I signaled everyone to look at me first. "Everyone, I would like to say on behalf of this auspicious occasion, it's not just me who's around to be thanked. I thank you all for helping in my time of need when I was about die. Also, I am glad to have met each and every single one of you, for your kindness and caring about me the whole way through. Let us continue to support one another, live together as friends, and eat as proof of that. Before doing so however, I must call upon the girl that made my recovery in-battle possible. Draco, I give you my utmost gratitude, because of that dragon stone, you saved my life." She perked up with awe shimmering in her eyes and her mouth widened open in excitement. "Ahem, without any further adieu, let's eat." I finished. Taking my first bite, it was better than I had anticipated, this fried mackerel was fantastic. "Oh my God, this is Heaven… I have never sunk my teeth into a better fish than this one." I praised. "This curry is quite the stand out too!" Arle followed up. I saw Schezo looking rather bored and seemed downtrodden, despite the positivity in the air. Hey Schezo, is something the matter?" I asked him. "What? I don't know what you're talking about, I'm fine." He answered and Arle notices this. "***sigh* **Come on Schezo, try to lighten up, you are part this celebration too. And don't think that we cannot see your misery, because we do. Look, you maybe a pervert, but at the end of the day you are still my friend that deserves comfort…" "H-Hey!" Schezo yells. "She's right, you need your own happiness much like anyone else, I know what will cheer you up. How about later tonight, we spar to see who's stronger? There's a sparring area that we can utilize for that, and you appear to be quite strong." He stared at me, dumbfounded. "Wha...? How the hell did you know that I liked to fight?" He asked me. "Well, I did see your sword when I first met you today, that was a bit of an obvious tell to me."

Schezo sudden began to eat more energetically. "I accept your offer, Dave. I haven't had a good fight in a while. Furthermore, I sense a power deep inside you that I cannot resist." I felt awkward after he said that. "Uuuuuh yeah, I can see why people call you a pervert... a speech problem you have, that's for sure…" "Wh-what does that mean?! You mean to tell me that I _"accidentally" _blurt out sexual shit, and that points me to being a pervert?" Arle looking as awkward as me, tells Schezo the truth of it all. "Yes you do, far too much sometimes… ***sigh***. I just wished that you realized that for yourself, ever tried listening to your own damn words?" She asked him. "N-no… maybe I really should try thinking before saying anything…" Schezo thought. "Besides that, I'm excited for our little test of strength." I said optimistically and he smiled. Every bit of main courses were consumed soon after, all of them being pleased by me and my friends. "So who wants a taste of our Puyo Gelatin?" One of the waitresses asked us. Several of us raised our hands, including me. I haven't had gelatin since I was a child, and was eager to try this out. Lemres was also stoked about it, I could tell from his gestures. I looked at the dessert menu to see what the five flavors of Puyo Gelatin. However, I noticed something that the voice in the transportation system did not tell us. You can get either a sweet or sour version of any flavor and I found out what those flavors were. Cherry, blue raspberry, lemon, green apple, and grape. Funny enough, I enjoyed all of these with other sweets. To me, it was tough trying to decide and finally I noticed the same waitress coming toward me. "So, you're the big hero that everyone was talking about, Dave." She said. "That's correct, Miss. All of my friends rooted for me in that battle… helping me and because of that I came out on top." I responded. "You must have some delightful peers to have pulled off something like that." I blushed from her comment, but soon realized one thing that eluded me. "Wait a minute though, are you… Kassandra? What are you doing as a waitress here?" She stumbled a little, knowing that I figured it out. I knew it was her due to her figure and blonde hair. I'll be blunt, she looked rather… voluptuous. "Oh this…? This is just a thing that I do on the side as a job. Anyway, we have something that we want to pitch over to you. You might be the first person to ever taste the hyped Rainbow Puyo Gelatin, since you're the hero, after all." My eyes widen. "A-are you serious? I mean, if it's there for me, I guess I could have it." I accepted the offer of being the first, ordering it as entirely sour.

Kassandra came back with Rainbow Puyo Gelatin, about the size of my head. It was certainly bigger than I thought, but gelatin tends not to take up too much space in the tummy. My friends all saw this one of a kind sweet, shocked. "Woah is that…? Lemres trailed off. I decided to bite into the cherry part first. "Oh my God, this is…! I don't even know what adjective to use and describe this… Absolutely delectable! The popping flavor, the sourness, and touch of tart really complement each other!" Before I knew it, I ate up the rest of squishy treat. "Well… that must be completely irresistible if HE likes it…" Schezo said. "I've never laid my eyes on a more beautiful sugar-filled treat before… Ah… this makes me wanna go marry one and…" Lemres dreams. "Comet Warlock, stop being weird!" Schezo yelled at him. Ringo looks at me being glad of my enjoyment. "Alright Schezo, let's get prepared to… What the fuck...?" I saw him manhandling Lemres, he probably wanted to bring him back to reality. "I'm seriously getting tired of these sugar-related wet dreams of yours!" He complained. "Uuuuh, Schezo?" I called out. "Don't worry Dave, I'll get his attention." Sig said, emotionless. He got close to Schezo's ear without being noticed. "Pervert." This startles Schezo so much, that he lets go of Lemres. "! WHAT THE?!" He almost fell from his seat and looked back to see no one right behind him. "Schezo, our duel?" "Oh, uh… of course! I'll deal with you later, Comet Warlock…!" He pointed at him We took our time going to the training grounds, and we finally stood facing against one another.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends enjoy everything that the tropical resort has to offer. After eating a scrumptious meal and dessert, he is now trying his luck against the dark mage, Schezo. Just who is the stronger of the two? Next chapter, Chapter 11: Demonic Dragon Warrior Versus Dark Mage.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Demonic Dragon Warrior ****Versus Dark Mage**

It was time for us to see who's the stronger of the two. "I hope you are prepared to face me, Schezo. This maybe for fun, but that doesn't mean I'll hold back." I said "Neither will I, Dave… neither will I…" Schezo said. "Go and win, Dave!" Draco hollered. The other girls, as well as Lemres, were there too. I engaged my dragon armor for combat. "Wh-what is that, Dave?" He asked me. "Oh this armor, it was gifted to me and I am now know as the new Demonic Dragon Warrior." I said to him. "Ha! This should be interesting then, I've heard legends of one from long ago. The powers of a Demonic Dragon Warrior are supposed to be incredibly potent. I'm going to enjoy this… En garde, Dave!" And so, this night-time battle commenced. Schezo lunged in for an attack with his sword, it was too swift for me to dodge. I instead opted to catch the sword with my armor-covered hands. "Hrrrrr… Come on, you can't stop my attack…!" He tried to get it out of my grip with little to no luck. I then went for a kick when I had discovered an opening. "Oof!" He went and slid on the ground for a second. "Looks like I just did, is that the best you can do?" I taunted him. "Wh-why you…! Thunderstorm!" Schezo shot lightning out from his sword, I had to act immediately. "...! Cryogenic Bomb!" I had managed to just barely intercept his spell, but he then attacked me from the newly formed mist. "Uogh!" Punching me in the face, I soon hit the ground on my back. I stood back up and charged at Schezo. "Claw of Shadows!" "Time for me to use my own shadowy spell, Shadow Edge!" My claw and his sword clash closely. "Rrrr…! When there are shadows… there is light to brighten the path of the future… Heavenly Flare!" I flashed the spell in front of him. "Oh God, my eyes! Aaaaaah! You little shit!" He recovers as I moved away to prepare defensive maneuvers. We kept fighting on equal ground for a little while, but I felt that my power was starting give up on me. My friends were all cheering for me to win, but I didn't know for sure if I could pull through here. "Time for me to whip out a signature spell of mine against you, Dave. Star Strike!" He creates a wave of energy to home in on me. I tried to block it, but it was too powerful. "OOF!" My armor was very much damaged by that attack. I hit the ground again, only much harder this time. "Ow…" Schezo planned on punching me again. "Hwoooooogh!" I rolled away before my face would be beaten in. I decided to return the favor, he punched me, now it was my turn. I put every ounce of strength I had left into it, I wasn't exactly in the best shape to go harder in. "Rrrrrrraaaaaaaaah!" "Ouch! Ugh…" He stood back up several seconds later. "Is this seriously the extent of your power, Dave? How did you defeat Dioge like this? I'm not even wearing armor and I've taken considerably less damage from you, compared to what I did to you." Schezo taunted me. He moved toward me, lightning-fast, bashing my gut with his knee. "Ough…!" "If anything, you are annoying more than you hurt… Alright, no more games, it's time for me to end this, Shockwa-!" Schezo is stopped by something, or rather, someone. "That's quite enough…" It was Accord, she ended our spar that was about to go wrong. "M-Ms. Accord…!" I acknowledged. "Tch. Figures she would protect you…" Schezo mumbles.

The others come to my aid as I laid there somewhat bruised and battered. "Oh my God guys, just look at this poor guy…" Arle said. They all look at me with concern in their eyes. "I-it's fine, I'll recover by the time morning comes around, same with my armor." I stood up. "Even then, I can still walk normally. So, I'm still up for some fun tonight, is there something we can do before turning in?" I asked. Suddenly Schezo came back, with an idea of his that I was at first, very hesitant with. " I know, I just heard about this from some of the resort staff. Apparently, they were talking about a strip club for females to get down and do naughty things." I looked at him as though he was crazy. "Y-you're serious, right? Even if this resort has a place like that, the only person from our group that would ever go there is you. After all, there no way I would do something that pervy. The girls would all hate me for it, forcing me to cry in a corner all day long." Draco speaks up to tell me something that she wishes for me to do. "Dave, I actually want you to go over there, I'll be around to you know… be sexy." She said. "What?! No way, even if you want me to come, the other girls would never forgive me for defiling myself. Besides, aren't we all under-aged besides Ms. Accord? They are not just going to let us minors go into something like that... because, we are below the age of twenty-one." That's when Accord decided to tell me another thing to know, even if it was embarrassing. "Oh that reminds me, you all have a special benefit while staying here. You have the option to be in some of the more _"adult" _sections of the resort. We figured that you kiddies were mature enough, especially you, Dave…" She said, winking at me. I blushed deep red after hearing that. "WH-WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" I might have overreacted a little from that remark. "***giggle* **Oh, you know what I mean…" She moseyed herself away, probably back to her room. "Yay, now you don't have an excuse not to go, C'mon!" Draco pleaded as she pulled my arm. "H-hey! Look, I know that you're grateful for me and all, but isn't this going a little bit overboard?" I asked. "Dave, just go with her, better to be a gentleman rather than turning her down." Schezo said. "***sigh*** Very well then, I'll come along Draco…" Me, Schezo and Draco started to leave the others when I heard a voice. "Hold up, let me go with you guys, someone calm, cool, and collected has to look after you… Heh, c'mon Feli, we're goin' with them." It was Lemres speaking. "Alright, the more the merrier… I guess…" So us five left the others to do whatever they wanted after waving goodbye.

Lo and behold, we arrived at the strip club. "I dunno guys… is this even right? I…" Draco went on talking to me. "Hey, a guy's gotta let loose every once in a while… especially if they're stressed. This may not be up your alley yet, but try it out, it could be fun." She smiles to cheer me up. The rest of the night can be summed up like this, it was certainly unique… Draco went into the stripper changing room to get her _"sexy clothes"_ on. I didn't know what they would look like before she came back. As she did, I couldn't believe my eyes. The clothes in question, it was more of a latex catsuit for the most part. There was a part that slightly showed off her cleavage. "Oh My God, that's hot!" Schezo pointed out. "***sigh* **This is gonna be long night…" I groaned. Outside of the cleavage, I wasn't turned on by the catsuit that Draco was wearing. "I'll take Schezo to another part of the club, can ya take care of Feli for me, Dave?" Lemres asked me. "Sure man, anything to have me be more at ease." The two left and it was just me with with the girls. "I have to prepare a couple of things, I'll be back, Dave!" Draco said. "Alright…" I replied in an unenthusiastic tone. Me and Feli sat down at a nearby bench. Uncharacteristically of her, she started a conversation with me. "So um… for a year or so now I was always head over heels for Lemres. However, he has always been oblivious of my love for him. Specifically now that is, around the time you showed up actually. We're still good friends, but he never sees us being anything past that, and it annoyed me…" She pouts with slight resentment. I tried to ease her conflict out by saying some words of advice. "Maybe you can tell him about how you really feel about him. Maybe visual tells aren't enough for him to see." She paused for one moment, looking at Lemres, then turning back over to me. "No, my love for him has dropped since you came. Not that it's your fault, of course. It isn't… but he only gets personal with other guys. I only like him as a friend now…" She ended. "I see, I feel sorry for you then, I know how it feels not having someone to love. I never had a relationship before because I remained as a friend-zoned person. I was only ever seen as just a nice person that cared for others. To some people that may seem fine, but I was seeking out for love back in my world before I just gave up. What's the point in trying when every girl that I love is either taken by another guy or they just turn me down? And so, I became a shut-in, staying mostly alone throughout my days. It certainly wasn't happy, but it did avoid unnecessary heartbreak." Feli's eyes widened. "You were alone by yourself too?" "Yes Feli, it sucked to put it in perspective…" My words stopped. "How about we fix both our lives? I was curious about you for a while… You were certainly charming and understanding of others. You stopped a big-time criminal that was powerful… Let's just say that I was... captivated by that display and I kinda fell in love with you, Dave… more than I did for Lemres. You were like a hero, no… you ARE my hero." She was tearing up a little bit, although not sobbing… these were tears of joy. Outside of that fact, I didn't know what to do. I already had another girl that confessed her love for me, but I couldn't tell that to anyone. And clearly, Feli would be upset at this time if I were to break the moment. I had to roll with things for now and accept the love that she has for me. "Feli…" I held her hands with my own and her face blushed. She jumped onto my lap and went into kiss me, being more clingy than I thought. This kiss wasn't just an average one, she was passionately kissing me, tongue and all. It lasted for a little over ten seconds but it felt like it went on forever.

"Mmm… That was incredibly sexy, Dave… that very feeling was so enjoyable." Some saliva dripped from Feli's mouth after that. "I didn't know that you kiss like that Feli, I like it." I said. She smiled and hugged me, I would describe all of this as sweet. But then, shit started to hit the fan quickly. "WHAT THE HELL?! What do you think you're doing with my Dave, you flat-chested bitch?!" It was Draco, she was overly pissed off at this current scene and Feli noticed. I knew that this was bound to turn sour in a moment. "What did you say, you mountain-sloped whore…?!" The two started to argue fiercely. "Gao! Dave was mine first, I invited him to come here. You just HAD to tag along and steal him from me." "Well guess what, slut... I just had my first kiss with him. You now can't claim him as your own love because I told him MY feelings. Have you told him feelings of your own? I doubt it, what kind of reasons do have to love Dave anyway? Just because you think he's hot? That's not good enough to validate a possible romantic relationship!" "N-no! I do have a legit reason, I helped him to help me… I admired him when he became the new Demonic Dragon Warrior. He looked awesome in that armor of his, okay?!" "Still doesn't matter, I beat you to the punch when it came to making advances on him." It was clear that Feli had a stronger argument than Draco, whom at this point struggled to come up with counters. "Men in general should be more fond of bigger breasts. Your chest is nothing compared to this. C'mon Dave, feel mine…" Draco forces my hand to grope her. "Uuuuh, I don't feel comfortable with that right now, Draco…" I said. "Bitch, you did not just…! Feli reacted. She leapt at Draco, fully intent on fighting. "KEEE!" I caught Feli and separated the two girls from one another. "This childish behavior from you two here will not be tolerated. We have adults watching, making you look silly and immature." I scolded them. "It doesn't matter who got to me first, or who has more sex appeal... What matters is me also having my OWN feelings. I'm sorry Draco, as much as I am grateful to you for saving my life… I don't know enough about you personally to get romantically attached to you. That doesn't mean that I'm completely turning your love down… it's just that, we just need more bonding time if you intend on me falling in love with you. Do you understand now, Draco?" I finally get to the point. "Gao… why do you have to be so complicated with shit like this?" She asked rhetorically. I stayed silent as she sulked, I hated seeing her like this. She was always a cheerful person, albeit a tad sex-driven. I just could not stand her misery unfold before me. She wasn't angry at me, probably because she liked me too much. Some time passes by after that, the girls were no longer at each other throats. However, neither still didn't seem to be apologetic to the other. At another point, Draco just left us without saying a single word."***yawn* **What time is it?" I wondered to myself. Checking the time on my cell phone, it revealed to be currently 12:15 A.M. "Shit… it's that late? Hey Feli, it's absurdly late, we need to leave." I said. "***yaaaaawn* **'Kay, where the hell is Lemres… and that dork mage?" She asked. I looked around the immediate vicinity when I saw then "Ah, they're over there." I pointed to show where. They were both sitting down at the bar, nearly passed out it seemed. When I approached them, my nose caught a whiff of something. "Oh Jesus, I can smell alcohol in their breaths..." I said. "Why did Lemres drink? Isn't he still too young to legally drink alcoholic beverages?" Feli asked me. "***sigh* **Schezo probably pressured him into drinking…" I guessed. "Either way, we need to take them back with us." She said. "Agreed. Hey, are you two alive?" I pushed on their slumped backs for a second. Schezo got up on his own, but Lemres was knocked out cold. "Oh 'eeeeeeey, is see par-dy over yeeeeeet?" Schezo asked, all drunk. His speech was heavily slurred and screwed up. "Yes Schezo, it is. We are leaving now... Feli, keep him for falling over, I'll carry Lemres as we put these two back in the beds of their room." We left the strip club and successfully brought them back. Using the key that was in Schezo's possession, we unlocked the door and assisted them inside. "Alright man, get some much sleep, you're going to need it." I told the still drunken Schezo. "'Kaaaaaaay..." He trailed off and fell asleep. I put Lemres down onto his bed, locked the door, and placed the room key on the table in between the beds. Me and Feli left the room and closed the door behind us.

"Fuck am I ever tired… Well Feli, this is where we part ways for the night. I'll see in the morning where…" She dashed for me. "Mpph-?" Feli was kissing me again, with the same passion too. "Just remember, Dave... I'll be around to help you whenever you need it…" She said. I smiled at her recent fondness for me. "Thank you, Feli. I don't care that you have a flat chest… you'll still be a girl that I love dearly." My mind was somewhat disagreeing with that statement I just spoke. Mainly because I kissed Ringo first. "Don't mention it, I know that we have such strong chemistry with each other." She stroked her finger across my chest as she said that. "So, let's turn in so we don't appear exhausted tomorrow Feli, see you." I waved goodbye to her as she went inside her room, and I entered mine. Ringo was in deep sleep, likely enjoying whatever dream she had at the time. I smiled to myself from the thought of that. I quietly took a shower, and turned in for the night. Before I fell asleep, I debated on who I should really take in as the love of my life. _Should it be Ringo… or Feli?_ I felt so awkward about possible negative outcomes. _What if they both find out that I loved the other girl behind their backs?_ That's a question that I didn't want coming true, so I decided to forget about it. I wanted myself not to be freaking out over a measly possibility. I relaxed my brain, where I eventually drifted off to dreamland.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave's life just seems to keep complicating itself. Feli confessed her love to him in a similar way to how Ringo did. So now he faces an issue, who should he stick to as his true love? The sweet and kind girl Ringo... or the daring and also just as kind girl Feli? Next chapter, Chapter 12: Love Triangle.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Love Triangle**

Morning arrived and Ringo was already up, just as energetic as usual. She notices me. "Ah, you're awake now! So, what happened last night at the strip club?" She wondered. "Well… it's a long story…" I couldn't tell her about the part where Feli fell in love with me. Instead, I focus on the other happenings and made some stuff up. "Me and Feli were just having a normal conversation, it ended up lasting for way longer than I anticipated. When I check the time on my cell phone, it was 12:15 A.M. At this point, we were quite tired. We decided to leave but had to Schezo and Lemres first. They went to a different area of the club, mainly the bar where both became drunk. Schezo was barely conscience and Lemres passed out completely. Me and Feli helped the two back into their room and turned in ourselves soon after." Ringo raised an eyebrow. "Hold on, what about Draco?" "Well we saw her for the first two hours, but after that, she seemed to be gone. I don't know the specifics as to why she left…" I clearly lied about that, but I NEEDED this to be a secret for as long as possible. "I see, well did you have a good enough time?" She asked me. "It was meh, but I wondered why Lemres got drunk… I assumed that Schezo coerced him to trying a spike or two. Although, I don't know what actually transpired between those two…" Ringo appeared to be contempt with what I told her. "I'm just glad that you didn't hate being there last night, Dave." She pecked her lips on my cheek. "So what should we do today, Ringo?" I asked. "I got the perfect idea, we should go exploring in the surrounding islands! And then, tonight all of us could hit the hot springs! I heard that the minerals in the spring water refreshes skin and muscle like no other." She explained. "Hot springs too… why am I not surprised? This place really is a paradise… That sounds great Ringo, have you told the others this yet?" I asked her. "Not yet, they weren't up at the time that I was." She replied. "Well, let's see if they are on board with the idea." I got ready to and we went to see our friends. Outside of their respective rooms, Arle, Amitie, Raffina, Schezo, Lemres, Feli, and Risukuma stood. "Hey guys, you think that you can join us in something awesome that Ringo thought up?" I asked them. "Hm… What is it that you had in mind, Ringo?" Risukuma asked. "Well, I was hoping that all of us could travel to one or two of the other islands to go exploring." She said. "Ooh! This could prove to be fruitful in my extensive, non-chemistry research, count me in guys." He said enthusiastically. "Anyone else?" I asked. "I'll come." "F-Feli? You want to come?" She didn't seem to be sure at first, but now looked committed to join. "I'll come too! I love being with one of my best buds!" Lemres complimented us. "If it's an adventure, then I want to feel it myself. And I'll drag Schezo in as well!" Arle said. "H-Hey, what's your deal?! Are you trying to make me stop being a dark mage?!" Schezo exclaimed, but no one paid attention to his complaining. "I'll be there along with you, Arle!" Amitie emphasized. "And Raffina, you wanna go with us too?" "No thanks Amitie, I want to do other stuff that this resort has to offer." Raffina responded to her. "Okay, that seems to be everyone that wants to come with us… As soon as we receive permission, we'll go, starting at 11:00 A.M." I explained. Me and Ringo went to see Jace and the student council for authorization. "Why if it isn't Dave and Ms. Ando, do you have something that you wish discuss with me?" Jace asked. "Not really Jace, we came here for a request." I said to him. "A request? Not what I was expecting… but very well, speak your minds. Ringo explains the whole thing to him while I stood there and nodded occasionally. "Hm… well how many others are willing to come with you two?" "Six, Jace." I said. "Alright, I will have a smaller boat prepared for-" "Uh excuse me, Jace?" I hear a voice from behind the young man. "***sigh*** What is it, Mari? My hands are somewhat tied right now. If an issue has risen, talk to Kassandra about it." "That's the thing though, President... she told me to go straight to you about this." Mari told him. "Hm? What is this?" He reads what looks to be a letter. I saw his face transform from contempt to irritation in seconds "What?! ***slam* **Who authorized this?!" He exclaimed. "It was Ms. Accord, she said that she was acquainted with the writer of this letter." She said. "***sigh*** This is completely ludicrous…" Jace pointed out. "Is something the matter, Jace? Ringo asked. "Yes, apparently there are more guests that will be arriving to be part of this group for the week… As for them, I have no idea who they are. This letter only mentions one name besides Accord's and my own, Ex." He showed us the paragraph that shows the name. "Wait a minute… I think I know this guy!" Ringo realized. "You do, Ringo?" I asked. "Yeah! Last time that I saw him, he was a person known as _"Keeper of Dimensions"_. And before you go and ask me what being one of those means Dave, just don't. It's a long as hell story and we don't have all day." "Fair enough, Ringo." I told her. "Anyway, according to the letter, these new guests will be here in approximately ten minutes from now. I'll have to escort them in too..." Jace informed us.

Those ten minutes came and went, at first, we saw nothing happen. Then, something from the sky floated down to the ground outside. "Wh- is that a spaceship?" I questioned. "It's not just any spaceship, that's the SS Tetra." Ringo said. The ship landed safely and out came quite a few individuals. An adult male in yellow suspenders with a bowtie, a dog that is bipedal, a green haired lass, a young man in a tight as hell jumpsuit, an obese robot, a yellow cube-like creature floating on a small cloud, and finally twins consisting of a boy and a girl. "I've seen strange fellows before, but never to this level…" I mentioned. "This place looks nice… oh hey Tee, this is the girl that you're friends with right?" The man in suspenders asked the jumpsuit guy. At this point, I assumed the one in the jumpsuit was Tee. "Huh, R-Ringo? What are you doing here?" Tee asked. "I should ask you the same thing, buddy!" She replied. "Allow me to kindly- wait, who's this?" He asked as he pointed toward me. "Oh! It is nice to meet you Tee, I am Dave." I held out my hand for a shake. "Maybe you should tell me who's who in your group, just for reference, Tee." I said. "Alright, I am the assistant captain of the starship that you see behind us. The dog is Ai, our engineer, he comes in very handy. The girl is Ess, she's a bit of a handful sometimes... you'll see later. She's the navigator of our team. The yellow creature you see there is O, our report officer. The robot is named Zed, he's a bit of a maintenance handyman. Keeping the Tetra clean, leaving everything in order and not chaos… you get the drift. The twins are Jay and Elle, they used to be useless to us and often brought trouble. However, in recent times, they have matured greatly. And to think, they are only thirteen… Finally the man in charge these days, Ex. Due to complicated issues in the past, he had to resign his duty as captain for a long while before he came back. He's been leading the team ever since, with devotion. During the time that he wasn't captain... I was." As Tee finished, Ex came to face me. "So, you're Dave... I've been hearing about you lately, people all over had recognized you as a hero." He said. "You're Ex, I assume…" I said. "Yes, it is a honor to meet you, it's not often you get to be in the same place as someone who took down a great evil." "Uh, thank you very much!" My face blushed from his compliment. "So as Ringo wanted to know, why are you guys here?" I asked them. "Well, you were part of the reason Dave, but I didn't tell Tee and the rest of the crew about that." Ex said. "Wait, me?" "Yes, it gives me a nice and fuzzy feeling inside when people do everything they can for what is right. This is probably because it reminds me of myself. I hope Ringo there told you about who I was in the past…" He paused. "Yeah, she mentioned that you were the keeper, but I don't know what that is." I told him. "Okay, I'll sum it up as best as I can. The keeper… keeps the dimensions separate and prevents outside threats from invading different dimensions. So, think of it as a job of an international peacekeeper, but on a larger scale. The keeper also must remain within an area known as _"The Farthest Edge of Spacetime"_. He or she is not allowed to leave, unless they are no longer named as keeper. Lord knows what would happen if there wasn't a keeper regulating dimensions…" I interrupted him for bit. "Hold on Ex, if you were the keeper, then how are you here now based on what you told me?" I questioned him. "Dave, that's because there is a successor that has taken that title. He was another one of Ringo's acquaintance's, Ecolo. He was so happy to take the tedious work, probably because he cared for her that much. At this point, he has surpassed me in dimensional power. I knew that he didn't mind being lonely, as long as those he cares for are safe. In fact, it made him happy. This allowed him to do something that is a little more productive and important." He spoke. "I see, Ecolo is now _"Keeper of Dimensions"_... and he did it for me..." Ringo acknowledged. "Dave, I'll tell you about Ecolo later, he's an interesting fellow." she told me. "Sure, Ringo." I replied. "Alright, now onto the other reason this crew of mine (mostly Tee) decided to come here. It was mostly for Tee's happiness, he wanted a chance to see you again Ringo, but he didn't know that you would be here…" He told us. "I see, well it's nice to see all of you again after a while!" Ringo said with excitement. "So uh Ringo, how about we catch up on old times?" Tee asked her. She smiled as she left my side. "But Ringo, what about the thing?" I reminded her. "Don't worry, this won't take long." I stood there, not knowing what to say or do. "While she's catching things up with Tee, how about we discuss your success a little more, Dave? Follow me outside." Ex suggested. Of course, I did follow him. I thought that I might as well fill up any free time I had.

"So, how did you take that man down? I was told that he had quite the power from news sources… using it for nefarious purposes." "Well… I'm apparently the new Demonic Dragon Warrior. Said to possess powers unlike any other being, I acquired it in that very battle… when I was about to die of all times. The willpower and bonds that I forged with my friends allowed me to awaken it. Allow me to show you how it looks like. Hrrrr… Rah!" My armor shows and glistens in the sunlight. "Wow, that beauty looks as tough as titanium." Ex said in surprise. "Actually… it's not as durable as you would think. A part broke off in a recent, friendly fight that I agreed to. Since then, the armor has fixed itself overnight. At first, it seemed to be close, me and my opponent were on equal grounds. But then, he unleashed one of his most powerful attacks. It almost took me out completely... at that point afterwards, Ms. Accord stopped his further assault." "Heh, I see. You haven't tapped into your full potential yet." "Ex, I know that, I've only had the ability to use this armor for about a month now… of course I haven't mastered it. It also doesn't help when I don't have much time to train, because school is in the way." I told him with discourage. "You know Dave, it's not just about training your body. You also have to subject your mind equally in training if the result needs to be balanced. Don't rely on brute force alone, let your mind develop clever strategies to gain the upper hand. It'll mean the difference between winning and losing…" He lectured me. "I just do all that I can to protect my friends, no matter the weight of the cost." I responded to his wise words. "That's good, I fought to protect what I cherished when I was the keeper, my daughter Ess... It's disheartening really… because she doesn't realize that I am her father. Always viewing Zed to be her beloved _"papa"_, ever since I first left him behind to take care of her…" He spoke with a heavy heart. "But wait, hold on. If you're her father, then where is her mother?" I asked him. "That… I really don't want to talk about… it gives me nightmares. Let's just say that something happened to her. Anyway, I kept trying to tell Ess the fact that I'm her real papa, who has protected her for all of these years… but she is always having her head in the clouds. And she doesn't like to talk to me, only saying that I was a keeper that couldn't do his job right. She would say that without ever considering my struggles or feelings. To put it in Layman's terms, she never understood this pain I have had all this time. Growing up to be a brat, Ess only thought of me as being incompetent man. It makes me feel lonely, sad, and gloomy… if only…" I put my hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ex. I'm sure that she'll mature on her own and see what you truly feel inside. If there's anything that you want me to do to remedy this issue, just say the word." I promised him. "Really?! That would make me a happy parent! Yes, there is something that I want you to do. You're going to the other islands with your friends, right? Convince her to somehow join you, without Zed being there with her. Getting close to my dear Ess, and having her trust you... that might just work out." He planned. "Are you sure? What if she decides not to talk and just ignores me?" I doubted. "Somewhere inside you, I can see that little spark of a chance. It'll most likely be rough, but I know that deep-down inside, you'll succeed." "Thanks Ex, I promise that you and Ess will be a loving single-parent and child family again. I see Ringo, gotta go Ex, bye!" "Hold it! I want you to carry something along with you..." I looked back at him and he presents me a small picture frame. "This is a picture of me and my wife from the past, along with a baby." I know what he wanted me to do with it and I nodded. I waved to him as he does back to me, and I ran toward Ringo, who was still talking with Tee.

Hey Ringo, how's your catch-up discussion with Tee?" She noticed me and smiled. "Oh, we were just about to finish up. I was talking to Tee about you, he was quite admired by your heroism." "I mean, it's nothing really, I'm not too crazy for it, Dave…" He said a little embarrassed. "Anyway, I'm ready to go now, let's bring the others." She said. "Alright Ringo, I'll be at the dock soon enough, there's just one thing that I have to do beforehand." I said. Ringo nodded and I left to find Ess. "Ess should be somewhere near the starship…" I spoke to myself. I hear a voice, it was loud and rude sounding. Coming from my left, I looked. There she was, yelling at Ai for some reason. Cowering in fear, he fled to be on his own. "YIP YIP!" This made me tremble a little, but I had to get a grip on things. As calmly as possible, I approached her. "Uh hey… can I talk to you for a bit? I take it that you're Ess… right?" She turned around, looking pissed. "Who the hell are you, and HOW do you know me?!" Clearly she was NOT in a good mood. "Okay... first off, relax. I am Dave, and I won't harm you. Secondly, I know you because Captain Ex told me about you." I explained. "Ugh figures... what do you want from me, anyway? Can't you see that I have other things to do?" She asked me. "Your papa has told me to come get you. He wants you to go along with me and my friends to the other islands, believing that it'll do wonders for you." Ess' angry demeanor vanished and her eyes sparkled in excitement. "Papa did?!" It might have been a lie, but it's for the sake of getting closer to her. At this point she still thought of Zed as her father. So I had to use that as a means of coaxing her to join me. "Very well, I will join you. If Papa thinks it'll be great for me… then I'll do it." Phase one of the plan worked without a single thing going wrong. "Alright, follow me to the dock, Ess... that's where a boat will be at." We ventured until reaching the boat's location and the assigned group waited for me. "Hey dude, wassup?" Lemres greeted me. "I'm doing fine, Lemres. Guys, another guest will be joining us. Say hi to Ess for me." I said to them. "Hi Ess!" The group fondly greeted her. "Oh, there's that incredibly clueless girl from back then." Ess commented. "What?! Hey, that's not nice, I'm not a clueless girl anymore, Ess!" Amitie insisted. "Whatever…" she scoffed. "So… anyway, I'll be the supervisor of this whole thing. I'm just going to do the best that I can to ensure the safety of everybody coming here today. Now, let's get on that boat and travel to the first of two islands that we'll be visiting today." I had a map of the Puyo Isles with me, so I wasn't lost in any capacity. "This first island is the smallest one in the Puyo Isles, so let us get that one out of the way before heading to the largest uninhabited island. I suggest you study this map closely, it'll come in useful." While they did, I rode the boat in a moderate speed, toward out first destination.

"Alright, and here we are… you all go ahead and explore, I'll catch up in a bit, just have to place in this anchor down." Everyone went except for Feli, as she watched me lower the anchor. "Feli, what's up? Is there something you wanted to talk to me about or what?" I asked her. "Well… I have a plan for just the two of us when we explore the big island." She said. "What is it then?" "Hehehe, you just have to wait and see…" Smiling in a devious fashion, she clinged to my left arm continuously. We caught up with everyone else looking about. "Hey guys, I'm here!" They turned around, but then started staring at me, probably because of Feli. "Uh, what's with the silence…?" I questioned. "Pff…! Is Feli really THAT attached to you, Dave?" Lemres asked me, trying to hold back his own laughter. "Hey, I just like how tender his arm feels, Lemres! It's so soft and squishy…" She responded. "Sure, whatever you say girl... Hahahaha!" Lemres laughed. Ringo looked at me and Feli suspiciously, so I made myself look like I was unaware of that. I needed her to question her own thinking and not take Feli's clinging into serious consideration. "So um... Risukuma, how's the biological observation going?" I asked the bear. "Oh it's going splendidly, Dave! I see what looks to be a new ant species. The body color of these ants seem to be the same as the sand around here, most likely for camouflage. They're also quite big for ant standards, a few centimeters in length." He explained. "I see, so... are they easily agitated by other things?" I asked. "Not particularly as far as I see them being… I might take a few back to analyze, seeing what makes them tick... OW!" He yelped in pain. "A-are you okay Ris?!" "Yes I'll be fine, I just got bitten by one of them. Damn insect… huh? I see... It looks like I accidentally damaged their hill... and now they look pissed." "Oh shit…" Feli trailed off. "Should we run then, Ris?" I suggested. "Yes, we should… NOW!" Risukuma screamed. The three of us made for a mad dash away from the ant hill. "Dave, Ris, Feli, what's wrong?" Ringo asked. "Don't look now, but we have sand-colored ants chasing us!" I yelled. "Ruh-Ringo, RUH-RUNUOOOOUGH!" The bear continued to freak out. "What…? EEK! GROSS, EW!" She starting running with us. The rest of the group grew near as we approached the sand. "Everyone…! ***pant pant* **Run to the boat, immediately! We have pissed off ants, right behind us!" The remaining people in the group complied with my warning and jumped in. I jacked up the boat to turbo speed toward the next island until we were far enough away. I slowed it down to cruise control soon after. "Oooh, now I never want to get near any ants ever again... ***sigh***" I whined. The rest were still catching their breaths. "This... ***pant* **is entirely the bear's fault…" Feli pointed out. "I... ***pant* **know, my apologies everyone." Risukuma said downheartedly. "It's fine Ris, no one would guess that this would happen, not even you. The ants only chased us away because their natural habitat was destroyed. They only wanted to protect what was left of it and their colony." I said. "Tch, I could've killed all of those ants for you, but none you didn't even bother asking me." Schezo said. "Schezo, although they were attacking us, we hurt them first where we had no right to. This is where they lived and we destroyed it without realizing." I told him. "Say what you will about the rights of that colony of ants… I don't care…" He emphasized. "Hm… dark mage, are you a natural hater of ants?" Lemres asked. "OF COURSE NOT! I just penetrate their ant holes when I feel like they deserve it!" He exclaimed. We all stood there, silent from his comment. "W-what's the silent treatment for?" He asked. "Oh, you know EXACTLY why, you asshole…" Arle clenched her fists. "You're a bad man!" Amitie followed up with. "H-hey! I'm not physically trying to rub off as a pervert! I'm only saying what's on the… ***smack*** OUCH!" Arle and Amitie both slap Schezo rather hard. "That's what you get for sayin' shit like that… hehehe" Lemres wisecracks. "Piss off, Comet Warlock…" Schezo trailed off. Ess goes to ask me a question quietly. "Is this guy a fucking pervert?" "***sigh*** It's hard to know for sure, he often says shit that can be very much taken out of context… all without knowing it himself. Trust me when I say this, don't ever let him get the jump on you. That's all I will say regarding that…" "Ugh I'm all sweaty..." Ringo complained. "Don't worry Ringo, that'll be fixed up tonight." This statement of mine cheered her up. "Oh yeah, we have _"that"_ to look forward to." She said after being reminded. "Have what to look forward to?" Feli asked me. "Oh well, me and Ringo want it to be a surprise for everyone else." I elaborated. "I see then, I'll just wait for tonight then…" She said. Ten minutes pass and I finally see the second island in reach. "Land ho guys!" I yelled. "We're not fucking pirates you know…" Ess said. "Whoever said that we were pirates? That's just a saying pirates commonly use, Ess…" I told her. "Tch…"

At last, we landed on this island's shore and calmed down. Those ants almost gave us a run for our money. I hoped that no more wildlife creatures were going to attack us. "Okay island number two, I would say explore at your leisure… but considering what happened to us earlier, I'd advise that we stick together and tread carefully." I proposed. "I'll take anything if it means not getting chased by icky bugs…" Ringo said. "Yeah, I would like to keep my good lookin' image intact." Lemres stated. "***sigh* **Again, you guys could have used help from me… just saying…" Schezo mumbled. "No one cares, Schezo…" Arle replied to him. "Anyway, can we go now?" Amitie asked. "***sigh*** Yeah, we'll stay closely behind you guys. Sword mage guy, cover the front of the group would you?" Feli requested him. "If it keeps me from being bored, then whatever…" Schezo responded. We began our hike through the vast jungle within, following a somewhat paved path of dirt. After a few minutes, Feli comes to my side again. "Hey Dave… it's about time that my plan is to be set in motion." She whispered. "What kind of plan is this anyway?" I whispered back. She grabbed my hand and gestured me to go into the thicker region of the tropical forest. She had us sprint in a direction away from the group. "Hey, why are you dragging us to these parts alone?" "Oh you'll find out very shortly, Dave… ***giggle***." Part of this scared me, but I was also intrigued about her actions. I decided to play along with whatever she had planned. She stopped soon after, so I did too. "We'll do it right here…" She vaguely said. "Do what?" I asked her. "Lie down on your back, Dave." "Okay…?" I questioned as I did. Feli started to lower her body and creep up toward me. She had then rested her chest against mine and locked her hands with mine. "Dave, I love you so much, I purposefully had ourselves separate from the group. I just want us to have fun on our own. We'll do so by getting deeper into sexual orientation… expressing our shared loved for one another." She said. "Wait… don't you think that this is a little too soon for that?" I asked. "Look, relax. You think I'm cute right? Surely you want to touch me there…" I blushed in awkwardness from that remark. "Here, I'll let you…" She said, making my hand go under her dress. At this point I was literally touching her chest. "Yes, now grope on what's there, Dave…" I started to fondle her breasts slowly. "Oooh yeah… right there…" We kiss non-stop in conjunction to this for the next five minutes. "Oh, I feel something peculiar… I knew it, you're now hard for me, Dave." She rubs the area where my dick is. "Ah! What is this I'm experiencing? I've never had someone else touch my dick before…" I wondered. "It's telling you to have it fuck me deep." Feli explained. "I'm… not sure Feli… I mean, neither of us has seen the other naked before." I hesitated. "Do you want to see my breasts for real then?" She asked. I undressed her carefully and took off her bra, revealing adorable looking tits. "Can you see this? My nipples are hard in the same way that your dick is, c'mon, feel them." Again, I hesitated for a moment, but I remember that I liked girls who go all the way with things. If Feli was obligated to go this far, then I had no objections. I touched her nipples, in shock I jolted back a little. "W-woah, they really are hard…" I commented. "'Kay, now if you would, I want to see your dick. It's only fair since you've seen me partially naked." I took off my pants and opened my boxers' little slit in the middle. "Ooooo yes, that's it alright, a big, throbbing, and juicy cock. But, you know what it could really need? This!" She then took it into her mouth and began sucking. "A-aaaaah… I feel so weird Feli… but it's good at the same time ***pant***." She continues to suck on it for a some time. "Ah… I going to explode!" I screamed. Semen from me entered her mouth, it seemed that there was more than she expected. After slowly pulling out my dick, she carefully swallowed my load. "Hah… I've never tasted semen before, it was so good that I couldn't help but swallow. We're not done just yet, that dick is still very hard." I stood there looking at it, Feli was right. She took off her panties, looking forward to getting pleasured herself. I took my now wet dick and inserted it into her. "A-ah! I can feel it penetrating me, thrust it in harder please!" Feli begged. "Feli, your pussy is so tight, it's squeezing the hell out of my cock! It's so hot and wet inside too! ***pant***"

**Ringo's POV**

We walked for what seemed to be twenty minutes on this, but I hadn't heard a peep from Dave since the start. I looked behind to see if he was alright, but I noticed that he was gone. "What the hell? Uh guys… where's Dave?" I asked. "What?" They all asked. The others looked around the immediate vicinity. "I dunno Ringo, but Feli's also missin'." Lemres pointed out. "Hm… we need to get to the bottom of this. I know that Dave basically said that it's a bad idea to split up, but we kinda have to if we wanna to find him and Feli." I said. We divided up into smaller groups as an attempt to cover more ground. I went with Lemres and Amitie, determined to find my precious Dave. We searched for what seemed to be forever. In reality though, it only took fifteen minutes to hear some rustling that wasn't made by us. "Shh… you hear it guys?" I asked. "Yeah, that might be at least one of them!" Amitie said in a hushed voice. We readied ourselves to jump into the rustling grass while counting to three. "One… two… THREE!" We yelled. Leaping in the grass, we discovered the only thing living there, a snake. "Dammit, it was just another animal… ***sigh* **How are we EVER going to find them in this mess...?" I whined. "We've just gotta believe Ringo, we'll find Dave and Feli, eventually. I mean, they wouldn't just ditch and leave us stranded on this island…" Amitie said, trying to be positive about the situation. I thought about that sentence for a minute. Not taking it quite literally, but there might have been some truth to what she said. "Wait a second… Amitie, you might be onto something!" I realized. "So wait, does this mean that they really did leave us stranded?!" She exclaimed. "Relax Amitie, they DID ditch us, but they must still be on this island. I know that Dave would never abandon us, let alone strand us here on purpose…" I elaborated. "So, you think that Feli's the reason that the two disappeared in the first place?" Lemres assumed. "Yeah, she's been quite unlike herself lately… She's usually very clingy to you, but now it's Dave, and you are ignored…" I told him. "Maybe she had herself and Dave ditch us some place where we started to walk on this island?" He guessed. "That's it! It must've happened like that, Feli knew that we would be walking for a while without us looking behind…" I thought back to what she said before we walked through. _"Yeah, we'll stay closely behind you guys." _"That's why she stayed behind everyone else with Dave, to run off without any of us noticing! And, I had a weird feeling inside when I saw her hold onto Dave's arm…" "Hey Ringo, you don't think that Feli has fallen for Dave? Look at all the signs that this has left for us…" Lemres suggested. "B-but that's just plain silly, she didn't display any emotions for him up until today. It doesn't seem to be organic, something is wrong…" I told him. "Well either way, if we don't find 'em soon, the sun will start to set. We need to get off this island before it becomes dark." He said. Me and Amitie nod as we all headed back to the area near the boat. Meeting the others, we told them that we had no luck so far with the search. "However, we may know the general area where they are at guys, follow us." I said. With everyone together again, we continued to search for another fifteen minutes. We all heard heavy rustling from a bush in front of us. I signaled everyone to be silent and slowly, but surely creep up toward said bush. The closer we got, the more I heard constant moans. I thought _"What the hell?"_ as they went by. I was now able to see what was going on behind that bush, and a majority of myself regretted it at the time. What I saw next had completely shocked me and felt my heart shatter like a crystal. "***pant pant* **Oh fuck, I'm gonna come!" Feli screamed. "***pant pant* **Me too, Feli!" Dave followed. "Pull that thing out of me now, Dave... and blow it up on my face!" Feli panted. "Okay." "Aaaaaaaaah! Ooooo." They both expelled. I saw and smelled this strange substance that the two created. The aroma, I would best describe it as just weird. However, the fact that they were both naked made me run away in disbelief. Tears fell from my face like a rain cloud during a storm. Lemres stopped me, wanting to know what was up. I told him what I had just seen with my own eyes. Describing how much it had disturbed me. "Oh, I see now, that's quite fucked up Ringo. I can't understand though, why are ya cryin'?" "It's personal, Lemres... I need some alone time. I'll go back to the boat…" I said before going off.

**Dave's POV**

The climax that I felt alongside Feli was unlike anything else before. Sperm from me remained on her face and my dick finally rests. "Ah… that feeling was too good…" Feli said while pleased. "Yeah…" I agreed. I felt so happy in that moment, but everything changed when I heard another voice. "Ahem…" My body jolts and eyes became widened as a result. "AH-! WHAT THE FUCK?!" I exclaimed. I clothed myself back as quickly as I could, so did Feli. The _"Ahem." _actually came from Arle, and she did not look happy at all. "We were all worried about you two, and you were doing nothing but fucking each other?! Not to mention, you made Ringo run off, upset. Dave, I never thought that you would be that kind of guy…" I tried to talk my way out of this issue. "W-wait! It's not what you think it is, Arle... really!" I said desperately. Amitie stood behind Arle silently, appearing to be freaked out by this. "C'mon, no one is gonna to believe you on that when Ringo told us what she saw… She had tears runnin' down her face." Lemres told me. "Where is she? I need to talk to her…" I requested. "Woah there, tiger! She said that she wanted some alone time, give her at least five minutes, then go." He advised me. Meanwhile, I had others looking at me as if I committed a crime. Feli was cleaning off her face with water from a nearby stream. "And I thought that Schezo was bad, but what you did was just nasty…" Amitie said. "Yeah, go to Hell and stay there, you fucker!" Ess agreed. "You abandoned us just to have fun with your girlfriend, this is why I can't stand guys!" She continued. "I apologize for that, I dragged Dave into doing this, he wasn't exactly on board with it at first." Feli explained. "So what? You bribed him into having sex with you?" Ess asked. "Yeah, I couldn't resist the urge to have an orgasm today." Amitie kind of stood there unable to believe this. "Feli, why do you like Dave so much to warrant this?" She asked. "Well that should be quite obvious, I admired his level strength and spirit as a hero. I confessed my love to him last night… and we were both very happy with that revelation." I appreciated Feli telling the truth for us when I couldn't say anything in my defense. "Okay those five minutes are up, I need to go see her." I said. "Wait, let me go with you." Feli said. "No Feli, you need to stay here." I told her. "Why?" She asked. "Because, I don't want you to get involved in more drama. Besides, this is personal for me…" I left and strolled to the boat where Ringo sat with her legs wrapped around by her arms. Her head was also facing down to the floor of the boat. "***sob***" She was crying an entire river of tears, heartbroken. "Aw… I wished that I could do something for Ringo…" I started to tear up myself. "Come now, you needn't be sad or your friend, you know." I heard this voice and jumped. "Wh-who are you?!" "No need to be afraid either, I'm here to help you." I saw a man with wings and horns slowly float down to me. Hello Dave, I am Satan, ruler of the Puyo Underworld... at your service." That name struck a chord in me. "S-Satan? Arle told me about you…" "Oh yes, Arly did tell you, but let's just say that she kind of... _"exaggerated"_ when calling me a villain. Sure I do go overboard sometimes, I admit it, but I love her so much. Too bad she doesn't think the same way about me… Anyway, let's go to your friend right now, she requires our attention." We came up towards her. "***sob* *sniff* **Stupid Dave... why would you break my-" She was about to finish her lament. "Ringo?" I answered. She looked up at me with resentment in her watery eyes. "What do you want, idiot? can't you tell how crushed I am by your actions?!" She planted her face on her legs in frustration. "Sheesh, she's more broken down than I thought, Dave." Satan whispered to me. "There, there dear... Dave could not control this situation at all. He still loves you in very much the same way... He just got caught up in this where that other girl fell in love with him, not knowing what to do…" "Hey… aren't you…?" Ringo questioned. "Be still, I'm not here to cause any harm, I just want to fix what's broken." "Ringo please listen, I wasn't going out of my way to intentionally break your heart!" I started to tear up. "***sniff* **In fact, I didn't want to see your heart broken at all, or the wreck that you are precisely in right now!" Ringo countered my words with a statement of her own. "If that's how you feel, then why did you have sex with Feli?!" "Ringo… If I didn't comply with her begging, she would've begun to suspect that something was up. I tried to avoid either of you getting pissed at me as much as possible, but in doing so, I hurt you without meaning anything… I couldn't say no to her, had she figured out what was going on instead, then she would never talk to me again… ***sob***" I heard the voice of one I thought would punch me in result of all this. "You should have talked to me about it Dave… don't worry, I understand." "***sniff* **F-Feli?" Satan stepped in. "You three would really make up a convincing harem… I'm being serious when I say that." He said. "A harem?" We all asked, raising eyebrows. "Well sure, why not? You two both loved Dave, and he can't decide who he loves more. I say that it's a brilliant idea." I at first scoffed at the idea in my mind. The more I thought about it though, I realized that it ACTUALLY made sense. "You know, that may actually work out… thanks Satan! Think about this as a food-for-thought, you two. A threesome styled relationship sounds quite interesting, and this is basically the best way to resolve everything." I envisioned. "Seriously, are you sure that your skull isn't cracked from insanity?" Ringo doubted me. "Well allow me to answer your question with one myself. Was there ever any point where you wanted be hot and bothered with another girl?" Ringo she seemed to stutter trying to respond. "U-uuuum… uh…" "So you DID want to be a lesbian at one point...? I'm going to take that stutter as a _"Yes."_... So Feli, what about you?" She was less skeptical about doing this harem thing than Ringo was. "Well, it doesn't bother me... if anything, it makes me feel better."

Satan pull outs a magazine to flash at us. "Here's a little something to inspire you three…" We saw hot, naked bodies of women on the cover. "Oh God! Why would you show us this?!" I asked, covering my eyes. "Not to come off as a pervert myself… but having a harem could be beneficial in a couple of ways. Not only would it improve your comradery with each other, but it'll awaken a special power from Dave that has yet to be found." He said. "What kind of power though?" I asked him. "That's for you to find out. I'll be taking my leave now, I'm sure that this won't be the only time that we meet Dave. Until then, I bid you a farewell..." Satan flies away to where he is unable to be seen. "So, he thinks that we can get along? I'm not sure if I can take his word on that, but he did help ease our problem. OH! That reminds me, there's one last thing that I need to do before we head back." I started to sprint, I still needed to talk to Ess about _"that"_. "Wait Dave! Where are you going now?!" Ringo yelled. I had to be able to isolate myself with Ess. So once I had found her, I silently guided her away from everyone. "***sigh* "**What the hell do you want, Dave?" she asked. "I came to talk to you about something important. Remember when I told you that Zed thought this would be good for you?" I reminded Ess. "Oh yeah, well Papa sure does know me well. Outside of a few unexpected train-wrecking moments, I had a good time. Why do you ask?" "Well… I kind of lied about that, I needed a way to convince you to come be with us. This is all so I can tell you the truth that you denied for a few years now." "What do you mean by saying _"the truth"_, Dave?" I paused to breath in and out, remaining calm against the now angry girl. "I know that this may be difficult to take in, Ess... but Zed is not your papa." I dropped on her. "What the fuck do you mean he's not my papa?! You don't know anything, he has been taking care of me for as long as I can remember!" She insisted. "That part of it is true, but did you ever stop and think about why your _"parent"_ is a robot? Zed was just there to handle you while your real father performed a duty that he swore to protect YOU. He wanted to protect you so much, he would willingly give up his own life, knowing that you would be safe. He was always watching you from afar, monitoring the surrounding areas that you would go to. That's how much that he cared and still cares for you! Hey Ess, could you look at this for me?" I show her the picture frame that I was given from Ex. "What is it? Hey isn't that the incompetent keeper? He looks younger here, and who's that woman with him?" She wondered. "Yeah, and the woman you see there was Ex's wife. You see, he wanted me to show this to you for one special reason, look at the baby." I directed my finger for her eyes to follow. "So what if Ex had a child back then? Who cares about the idiot that couldn't do his job right?" She goes nonchalantly. "For the record, I and many of our friends care for him, and you should too, see this name tag by the child?" I guided her to. "Wait… what is this?" "It spells out _"Ess"_, your name, and I don't know of any other person with that name. There's further evidence for me to speak of as well, green hair rests on that head. Gee, I wonder who has green hair here?" I asked sarcastically. "N-no, how can this be?" Ess was at a loss for words. "There's no denying it, you are the daughter of a kind man who used to be a keeper, one that would do anything to keep you away from harm. Please, you need to make up with him. Ex has been rather upset without his own daughter keeping his spirits up... What do you say Ess…?" I waited for an answer. "I… I… don't know!" She responded. "Huh?" I reacted. "I mean, has my life so far been nothing but a lie? I followed a robot I had thought to be Papa, through and through. Sure he was nice, but all that I enjoyed was no more than a facade…" I decided to comfort Ess in her time of need. "Okay, that might be true, however there's no doubt in my mind, you and Zed had a legitimate bond beyond the lies. It does not reverse the good times that you had with him." "! That's a good point, all of the memories I had are still not false!" She realized. "Hm, it's getting late… let's get back with our friends so that we can return to the resort." I said. Ess nods and we see the others. "There you are, dummy. Where did you run off to?" Ringo asked. I whispered to her what I did while I was gone. "I see, well I'm glad that girl's no longer delusional, seriously I didn't think that would ever change." I hopped in the boat to started up the engine. "Alright guys, it's getting dark, let's head back to the resort!" I told them.

I continued to drive the boat for a while. "Hey, look up at the sky guys, the stars are bright and pretty…" Amitie said. "They seem quite big too Amitie, I've never seen stars of this size back in my world…" I said. "So one question, where did you come from, Dave?" Ringo asked. Before I could say anything, Risukuma entered the fray. "Don't bother, Ringo... I already asked him about that a month ago. He didn't want to say anything about it. Ugh, that bite really put a number on me, feeling kind of queasy at the moment." I worried for his condition as he said it. "Is it a symptom of sorts, Ris?" I asked anxiously. "Well… I wouldn't call this as such, Dave... but something is certainly wrong. I'm in this... dizziness that I can't even describe how it feels. It's only something that you'll know if you feel it. Like hell, it's making me want to vomit without causing it to occur. Hopefully it goes away in a couple of days, ant bites aren't really known for killing off big mammals, so I shouldn't have fears looming by." I sighed at his assumption. "That's at least assuring… So, how was this excursion for everyone? The ant attack was admittedly an unexpected take-away, but I will say that this has been an interesting day. One that was full of drama and crazy events." I said waiting for answers. "***sigh*** It was a boring day for the most part, and then I find out that you have sex with a girl… that made me incredibly jealous." Schezo said. "Aren't you only saying that because you a pervert, Schezo?" Arle asked him. "Ah shut up… that's besides the point, Arle. "No, I think she's right, that IS the point for you!" Ess yelled at him. "Tch. Say whatever you will, it's not of my concern..." He trailed off. "Okay… anyone else?" I continued. "I thought that you and Feli were... cute together, albeit still nasty. Speaking of which, what was that sticky stuff that smelled... off putting?" Amitie asked. Arle was shocked from this. "You don't know what it is, Amitie?" "N-no I don't, my life has been filled with nothing but friends, magic, and adventures…" She stated. "Arle whispered in her ear, most likely explaining to her what the stuff was. Amitie's face lit up bright red. "Wh-whaaaaaaat?! I-I d-don't think I'm ready to know about this yet!" Amitie said, cover her face with her hands. "Let's… not talk about that anymore…" Ringo suggested. "Agreed." Feli followed up with. I decided to clear my mind of the cacophony of sex-related notions as we headed for the resort's shore. I shut off the engine and rested the anchor in the water below before letting everyone leave. I grabbed Ess by her hand. "Ess, let's go see Ex… show me the way." I told her. She nods and we went to experience a family reunion. "You stay here, I'll talk to him in the meantime." I said. I came to Ex's room door and knocked. He opens the door slowly to see who's there. "Oh hey! It's you, Dave! You took longer to get back then I expected…" He said. "Yeah… there were a couple of mishaps, but they didn't ruin anything." I responded. "So did you tell Ess everything?" "Yes Ex, she's outside the room if you want to see her." I said. "Why, of course! Ess, are you there?" He asked. "P-Papa…" She stuttered. "Oh my God, you called me Papa for the first time since you were an infant! This is so wonderful! Thank you, Dave! I am truly indebted to you, whenever you have a problem, don't hesitate to call me. Here's my number in case you need my help." I punched in Ex's phone number while feeling great about myself. "I just do what I want to do for others Ex, being helpful. Oh yeah, have you heard? They say that the hot springs here are like no other, do you want to join me in the men's area?" I asked him. "Huh… I've never really been in one before… Why not? I have free time on my hands, might as well make the most of it." He replied and smiled. I smiled back at his decision with excitement. "Great! A couple of my friends will also be in there with us. As for you, Ess... you can just gossip with the other girls, or whatever else you do." I said. "Alright, I'll join up with you in a bit, Dave Getting ready for it takes some time, so about twenty minutes tops, but where are these springs though?" He wondered. "Hm… they should be listed in a map of this resort… okay, I guess they're listed… here." I traced my finger to the location roughly. I left Ex for him to get a towel ready and I round up the other guys. While in the middle of it, I found Ringo. We exchanged words for a bit and told her to lead the other girls to the women's area. I prepared for a night of spring relaxation, but I couldn't anticipate what was about to happen.

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter has been by far the longest as of yet. You can imagine the immense amount of downtime that I had with this one. Chapter 12 took quite a bit out of me as a writer. This is also the first chapter to incorporate another character's viewpoint. These different POVs will happen from time to time. So much stuff happened throughout Dave's day, but the night had yet to truly begin. Next chapter, Chapter 13: Hot and Bothered.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Hot ****and Bothered**

"Hey guys, do you want to join me in the hot springs?" I asked them. "Uh, sure I guess…" Sig said. "I'll come too, these springs sound intriguing." Klug said. "It might be steamy in there… I'm not sure…" Schezo trailed off. The rest of us thought of that wording from Schezo as wrong, I saw it in their faces too.. "I'll join if it means that the spring can heal me of this irritating ant bite, or at least alleviate it." Risukuma assumed. "Bein' heated up like a suh-weet dessert, I like the sound of that…" Lemres said. "Okay then, get towels ready for this." I told them. We gathered back together at the changing station outside of our area. The girls were likely on the other side. "Oh Tee, I didn't expect you to be here!" I said in surprise. "Yeah, I brought him along with me Dave, he was also looking forward to it." Ex said. "So for those of you who don't know, these two are Captain Ex and Assistant Captain Tee of the SS Tetra. "Oh 'eeeey, I remember you, Tee. How's it goin' for ya?" Lemres asked. "Say, I remember you too, we had that one exciting battle back then." Tee recalled. "Hahaha, I was pretty good at the time, was I?" Lemres continued. "Anyway, it looks like you've made some great friends, Dave…" Ex points to us. "Yep, and I wouldn't have it any other way. So, who's ready to dive into the spring?" I finally asked. All the guys nodded as a sign to me. I undress myself in privacy and wrapped the towel around my waist. I get out to see that I was the first one done. It didn't take too long for myself to be the only one there. "So I suppose they're taking a little bit to finish…" Klug assumed. "Yeah, it looks to be that way… Hey are you guys okay in there?" I called out to them. "We're doin' fine, just gettin' sidetracked by a discussion." Lemres answered. Me and Klug didn't know what the discussion entailed, so we merely ignored it. Eventually, we all entered the spring, having a warm reception towards it. "Oh my goodness, I haven't felt this great in years!" Ex complimented the spring. "This is surprisingly comfortable…" Schezo thought. "I don't feel the ant bite anymore, this is unprecedented." Risukuma said. "Just as I thought, I feel like a hot treat. Ah… I'm in sugar paradise…" Lemres calmly trailed. "I'm not sure how to feel about this, Ex... it's unfamiliar to me." Tee addressed. "Ah, maybe you just feel uneasy, relax and it should come through." He suggested. "Yeah, trust him Tee, as an introvert, I still feel extremely calm here. Being with friends accentuates this for me, that includes you Tee." I explained. "Really, Dave? Very well, I should put that into my mind…" He said.

About thirty minutes later, Lemres signaled me and Schezo to come out from the spring. "***sigh* **What is it, Comet Warlock?" Schezo asked. "Well, I'm glad you asked, Dark Mage. We are going to do what you like best, peepin' on naked girls." he said. "What?! I do not do that! Anyway, how though... won't we be easily caught?" he replied. "I agree, I know where this is going to go and I want no part in it. I do not want to be labeled as a pervert." I said. "Oh don't worry, I've got that planned out and covered. Ta-da, special candies!" We see three pieces of candy floating by him. "Tch. What makes them so special?" Schezo scoffed. "These are candies that make the one who eats them, invisible for a set amount of time." He elaborated. "Huh, so invisibility candies… where did you get this stuff anyhow?" I asked. "Oh, I made 'em myself, all thanks to my passion for sweets." He said. "I'll reluctantly try one, Comet Warlock…" Schezo cautiously reaches out for the first of the three pieces and eats it. "Meh, the flavor wasn't bad… wait, what's happening to my body?" He questioned. "Looks like it's working..." I said as I took the second piece. I ate it to find a fascinating taste within. "Hmm… this tastes like something sweet, but yet sour..." I worded my thoughts. Before long, I noticed that I can see Schezo now. "Hey, I can see you now, man." I said. "Huh, is this a side effect of the candy?" He asked. "Yeah it is, anyone who has eaten candy from the same batch can see each other." Lemres said. "That's awfully convenient, I like it… so uh… how much time do we have being invisible?" I questioned. Lemres takes the last piece and consumes it. "Hmm, from my batch... about forty-five minutes or so. Alright then, now let's take a place to watch from on their side of the springs." He stated. "I don't know… I'm still not sure about this…" I spoke, worried. "Well if we are invisible, Dave... then we shouldn't have anything to worry about. Those girls will never know that we were there and we'll make a clean getaway too." Schezo spoke rationally. "'Right you are, Dark Mage. Even when our invisibility runs out, it won't go away immediately… we'll just slowly turn back to bein' visible." He assured me. "Well okay, but if things get dicey and go to shit, I'm bailing out of this as soon as possible." I told him.

We hurdled over the barrier that separates the men and women, and rested ourselves on boulders nearby. Since we were now on the side that didn't allow us to be in, we needed to be quiet. We three decided that it would be best if we just whispered and be no louder than that. Meanwhile we saw the girls being a little rough with each other and giggled. Accord was in there too which surprised me, to which I saw those breasts of her. Considering that she was a few to several years older than me though, I thought to shift my focus on Ringo and Feli. "Aw… Feli's even more cute 'n cuddly when naked, but I can see you'll get jelly of me Dave, so I'll put it to rest." Lemres raved. "I won't lie, Arle's looking kind of desirable right now. She has a has a decent breast size and the way they just curve…" Schezo praises. "What about you, Dave? Who're you lookin' at?" Lemres asked me. "Ringo, she has quite the balance of both cuteness and sexiness." I told him. I made my eyes move over the entire spring, eventually landing to where Draco was. She was playfully caressing another girl's rack, it was Kassandra's. "I won't lie, miss... you have some great tits right there! ***giggle***" She said enthusiastically. "Ah! What do you think that you are doing, you immature lass?!" She reacted. "Relax, I'm just comparing these here with mine…" Draco smiled. "Ugh stop, I feel like I'm being violated!" Kassandra pleaded. In a hushed voice, Schezo speaks. "Oh my fucking God, those bosoms are... heaven!" "Agreed, I just realized how sexy Draco really is." I said. Draco continued to mess with Kassandra and we sat there, nearly drooling from this hot interaction. "Isn't this a textbook example of how a porno starts off?" Lemres questioned. "I've seen my fair share of pornography, Comet Warlock. It's not exactly a textbook example, but it's certainly common." Schezo stated. "It's like that in my world too, at least in fictional form… don't ask how." I added.

I turned my head over to where Ess was, she looked to be uneasy. "Hey Ess, what's up?" Amitie asked her. "I dunno, I just have this really strange feeling… like we are being watched." She answered. "Aw come on, there's not a single outsider to be seen. How can you possibly think that?" Ringo wondered. "It's a gut feeling… a radar in my head is going crazy, seeming to sense that there are perverts around here!" She yelled. Me, Lemres, and Schezo heard that, making us feel like we'll get caught if we stayed like this. We reassured ourselves that the invisibility candies kept that problem in check for at least another twenty-five minutes. As long as they could not see us, we were fine. "Ugh, I'm getting paranoid, I'll search around for any possible hiding spots." Ess said. "Good luck with that then." Arle joked about. "Oh shit, stay silent for the meantime guys, she could come over here at any point." I alerted them. Just like that, for the next fifteen minutes, Ess searched for unwanted perverts. Thankfully, she did not discover us, only ended up frustrated and went back into the spring. We used the remainder of our invisibility well. Once we noticed that we started to materialize back into visible sight, we booked it. Lemres and Schezo successfully made it over the barrier and waited for me. I leapt, but messed up royally in the process. The force of my landing caused me to lose my half-assed grip. I fell, causing a loud thud to kick in. The girls noticed the noise quickly. "Wh-what was that?!" Raffina exclaimed. "It might be a pervert or two!" Ess yelled. "Oh dear, perverts here? I hope that they didn't see my bosom…" Accord said. "Shit! Help me guys!" I requested. "No way, I'm not getting pointed at as a pervert by the girls again." Schezo said. "Sorry Dave, you're on your own here." Lemres said to me. "Oooh, you guys suck…" I did not like how they betrayed me, but I also understood why. "The sound came from over here." Ringo stated. I feared the worst when I would be caught. Just as my invisibility ran its course, I quietly hid in a bush close by. They searched, inch by inch, making me pray in hope more and more with every passing second. A few moments later, I felt a hand grab me by the shoulder tightly. "!" It was all over, they found me. More like one of them, Accord. "I believe that we found ourselves one of them…" She said to the girls. They all turned around to face me, most either looking angry or scared. I felt a level of uncontrollable rage emanating from Ess. She stomped to me and held me by my neck. "So, my instinct wasn't wrong…! You have a lot of explaining to do... What the fuck Dave?!" "Ack-! ***choke*** L-look, it's not what you think, I wasn't initially on board with doing this! You see, two others convinced me to join in it. Remember that pervert that I was telling you about Ess? He was one of the two, but he didn't formulate the method of watching you girls… that would be Lemres. Besides, even when I was _"watching"_... I only looked at Ringo and Feli for the most part. I wasn't watching you at all Ess, I wasn't interested in you because I already have two love interests." "Yeah right, why should I believe you? You could be lying to me for all we know Dave!" Ess argued. "No… I don't think he is lying. Dave is my student and a very honest one at that." Accord defended me. At that moment, Ess had let me go. "! Ms. Accord…" I looked up. "Of course, he was still peeping at the end of the day. I cannot let that slip by, so I'll give him a light punishment." She said. "P-punishment?!" I exclaimed. "Popoi, give Dave some much needed torment for his insolence." She directed her cat. "Very well… I'll make it quick and painless, meow." I saw Popoi becoming bigger, as well as scary to lay eyes on. This was what true fear seemed to be, this cat was a monster. With a rested paw on my head, Popoi started to grip me real hard. "Nrgh-!" I tried to get myself out of it with enhanced strength, but something seemed to hamper it into nothing. "Why... can't… I… break free…?!" I questioned. "Popoi suppresses magical power of specific casters, and you just so happened to be one. Although, you are powerful in a way, this suppression is extremely pressing… so much so, even you cannot use your spells at all." Accord explained to me. "Sorry kitten, nothing purr-sonal…" I begin to feel pain unlike anything I felt before or since. "AAAAAHRGHHH!" I screamed. Shortly after whatever the hell that was, I blanked out.

I woke up back by the men side changing station, laying on my back. I still had my towel wrapped around my waist, which I was relieved. "Urgh… damn that hurt… What time is it?" I asked myself. I searched for a clock. "8:00 P.M., shit. I hope my things are still here…" I soon see my clothes and phone were in the same place I had left them. "Phew, thank God." I dressed back and came back to my room to knock. I didn't have the key on me at the time. I usually had let Ringo hold on to it since I wasn't too responsible. She opened the door and saw me. "Oh good, you're still okay…" She said. "Wait, you're not mad at me Ringo?" I asked her. She shakes her head to my question. "No, I couldn't blame you for being involved in something stupid like that. You may be the Dave I know you as... but I understand that you are a guy. Young men have certain, inevitable vices. They get excited when seeing cute and beautiful girls. It's a natural thing, even though it was wrong. So… did… you see my body…?" she asked. "I won't be outraged by it, I just want to know what you think of it…" I wasn't sure what to say to her. "I did… I thought that you had… a lovely figure." I worded my thoughts. "Could you be… more specific?" She asked. "Um well, your body had the perfect proportions. Your legs, hips, and breasts, they all had great shape and size. ***awkward laugh***" I exaggerated slightly. "I was waiting for you to say that…" She said, smiling. "Huh…? What do you mean… Ah!" She tugged me inside our room, locked the door and pushed me on to a bed. I laid there on my back, Ringo sat next to me with a certain look in her eyes. "So, how about we get to know our bodies a little more?" She seductively asked me. "Uh….. Ringo, what's this about?" I asked her, feeling awkward. "To be frank, I was and still am a bit jealous that Feli got the jump on you before I could Dave… but I'm not going to let that stop me." "Ringo, I've already climaxed from having sex with Feli. Unlike a girl, a guy like me has to find times to feel pleasure. We can't always be in a state of being fucked. Testicles are proof of that, something that females don't have. You see, continuous ejaculation puts a strain on these, so I have to make them rest up." I lectured. "Aw, you're no fun…" She said with puffed cheeks. "Look, we can still kiss if that's what you want…" I said. "Mmm… that could be... as juicy and delicious as an apple." She replied. We had gone through a ten minute kissing session. Through it all, it proved one thing, we still had love. "Maybe I should get in the shower now…" Ringo grabs my hand. "We should go in together, we both have seen ourselves naked today, so why not?" She requested. "Sure, might as well, things will go by quicker too." I approved. We entered in the bath, both naked, cleaning each other. "So… this is certainly an experience. I never thought that I would have one with a girl." I said as her face remained blushed. "I wanna ask you something Dave, how does it feel to have a dick?" "... How should I put this...? It's weird I'll admit, putting up with the fact that it sometimes decides to randomly erect. It makes it difficult to fall asleep, as well as causing other inconveniences." I explained. "At least guys don't have periods, those are so damn annoying…" Ringo passed along. "That's true…" I concluded. We ended our shower and prepared for bed. "This was a long day, but on the whole, I'm glad that it became that way." I told Ringo. "Me too." She replied. I turned the lights off and we slept in peace.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thus another long day day for Dave ends. Little does he know though, a chaotic event would take place in the early morning. What is this event exactly? Only time could tell the very truth of what was about to unfold. Next chapter, Chapter 14: What Happened?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: What Happened?**

About 1:00 A.M. in the morning, I woke up to the sound of a loud thud coming from the hallway outside. "What the hell was that... did you you hear it too, Ringo?" I asked. "Yeah, maybe we should go see what caused that noise." She replied. The hallway lights would turn off around midnight, so we both knew that it would be pitch black. I decided that the best course of action was to use my phone as a flashlight. I opened the door to let us outside. We looked around to see whatever we could find. "It looks like no one else was startled by whatever we heard." I said. "Yep, seems to be that way." Ringo responded. I had her come with me through the left side of the hall, then shortly after, I notice something within the darkness. I went on ahead while she stayed put. Upon closer inspection, I found a thing that horrified me. "! Oh… my… God… R-R-Ringo…? I think you may want to l-look at this." I said, shuddering violently. "What is it, and why do you sound so scared… Dave…? N-no… it can't be… A D-DEAD BODY?!" A shocking event had hit the both of us like a truck. Neither of us ever imagined that a murder would happen here of all places. This dead person had laid down in a pool of blood on her side and a knife embedded in the back. I couldn't identify who this person was because it was so dark, even with a light source. "What should we do?" Cried Ringo. It took me sometime to think of a game plan. "...We go back to our room… Who knows whether or not it's safe out here right now. Whoever is our mystery murderer, they are likely still hiding somewhere in the shadows nearby." I hypothesized. She nods and we entered to lock ourselves to sleep in until the sun rises.

We woke up again and got ready, to where we heard a scream. Expecting this to happen, we both rushed to the scene while all of our friends came. "MURDER! THIS IS HORRIBLE!" Amite screamed. Jace suddenly came too. "Out of the way, I need to see the body for myself!" He slipped past everyone. "! I can't believe it… Mari has been dead for several hours. The dried up blood on the ground proves this very fact. When I find out who has done this, I swear to God…!" I was shocked to learn that secretary of the student council was killed. "Pss… Dave, wasn't she a member of the student council?" Ringo asked me. "Yeah she was, a bright and cheery one at that. The question is though, who would do this to her?" "I dunno, it just doesn't make sense…" I decided to talk to Jace about this murder. "Hey Jace, I think that there is something important that you should know." I told him. "***sigh* **What's that, Dave?" He asked. "Me and Ringo were the first ones to discover the body like this, from around one in the morning." I explained. "WHAT?!" He exclaimed, glaring at me. "Tell. Me. Everything!" He demanded. "Alright, jeez… We woke up to a sudden loud noise that no one else heard, so we decided to check it out on our own. When we discovered the corpse, we got scared went to our room to wait until morning." "You let the criminal get away, whoever they were! Why did you wait?!" He questioned us. "We figured that we would get ourselves killed if we stayed outside. So we didn't want to risk it and locked the door to our room after entering." Ringo said in response. "Hm… Fair point. But still, everyone needs to be notified of something like this immediately. Anyway, is there a detective that can help me investigate? As long as we are isolated on this island, proper authorities will take too long to arrive." Jace requested. "I'm not really a detective, but I'm probably as close as you can get. I can perform forensics and whatnot, so I could make an autopsy for you if that's what you want." Risukuma said. "Fine enough, you'll be the leading detective in this, so I guess that makes me prosecutor." He replied. "Wait, you have prosecuted before Jace?" I asked. "No, not officially since I am too young, but I have shown the legal part of this world that I possess a great deal of promise." He said. "I see" I said. "Now Detective uh…" "Risukuma." "Right… Risukuma, we must now investigate." Jace said as he and Risukuma began to look around the crime scene, and the surrounding area.

A few minutes came and went, Ex comes into the picture. "What happened guys? We came here as fast as we could." He said. "Oh Ex, it's awful! A murder happened last night." I said to him. "My God…" Tee said in disbelief. "What?! Where's the body?" Ex asked me. I pointed to the body's location. "It's currently being looked at by Jace and the leading detective chosen for this." I explained. "***sigh* **At this point, this is going to have to go to court…" He trailed. "But we're stuck on this island until the last day… how will there be a court case soon after the initial investigation?" Ringo wondered. "OH! I just remembered you two, I think I saw an area in this resort that looked like a courtroom. Plus, I used to be an active judge for courts. I still have the qualifications to be one too." Ex said. "Well that's certainly a tale, you used to be a judge… argh! What am I thinking? That can wait, this murder is far more important." I muttered. "Is there an actual suspect in all of this?" Tee asked me. "No, not yet Tee, but that is currently being looked into. But… just gaze at that body… It's quite a depressing sight, no doubt about that." I said. "Yeah… it makes me feel so… oooh, I can't think of the perfect word to describe this." Ringo spoke. "Empty?" Ex helped her. "Yes, empty… it makes me feel empty inside." She finished. I hugged Ringo in empathy. "There, there… We'll find out who has done this, and they'll get what they deserve. Justice will be served by the time this fully resolves. For now though, all we can do is wait Ringo." I told her. "Thank you, Dave." She smiled. We waited for whenever we heard anything else back. Jace and Risukuma come back about an hour to announce to everyone about something. "Alright everyone, we have found who seems to be the suspect in all of this. She is currently being detained and pleading not guilty of this atrocity. She goes by the name… _"Draco Centauros"_, a half human and half dragon hybrid being." Jace reported. "!" My body broke down, not believing it for a second, I wondered about the reason why Draco was seen as the potential murderer. "D-Dave?" Ringo spoke, worried. "What the hell...? There's no way that Draco would have a reason... or any gall to murder an innocent person. I may not know too much about her… but she was primarily why I am still alive." I muttered. "So you think that she didn't do it?" Ringo asked. "No Ringo, I don't just think that, I know for a fact she didn't do it. I intend on seeking out for the truth to save her. If there isn't anyone to defend her, then I'll be her defense. I may have never stepped foot into a courtroom before, however I have the knowledge of what it means to be defending a defendant. I will stop at nothing to make sure that I can get an acquittal… Can you help me with that Ringo? It would mean the world to me if you could." I asked of her. "Why of course, I'll help you in any way I can." She responded. "Thank you, let's talk with Jace about this afterward." I said.

We got our chance to speak to him about what was on my mind. "Jace, can we talk? This topic will only take a minute or two." I asked. "Very well, speak." I spoke my thoughts about his findings as the prosecution and believed not being the full truth. "Tch, don't you see Dave? This case is clear, cut, and dry. There shouldn't be anything else to it, just a simple murder with no strings attached. Why are you so opposed to the outcome?" He wondered. "Because I know that Draco would NEVER do something like this." I said. "Pah, do you have evidence that says _"She didn't do it"_?" He asked me. "W-well… that's besides the point, I want to know the truth of what really happened last night Jace." "Well you can't, you don't have investigative authority since you are not serving as either prosecution or defense." He argued. "Funny you should say that… I HAVE had experience as a defense attorney, but like you, it was more like showing promise that I could serve as one." I told him. "Wh-what…? I see, I guess you can investigate… but only after we finish doing so. Prosecution and defense are not supposed to be working together outside of the courts." He gave in. "You have my gratitude." I thanked him. "Save your breath, I never wanted you to be involved in this... you'll just get in my way." He finished. Before he walked away, I asked one last question. "Wait, where is Draco being held at?" "If you see Kassandra, she'll tell you where." He replied.

We looked for Kassandra for a while until stumbling into her. "Kassandra hey, I need to know something. It's about the suspect, I want to talk to her. So, where is she exactly?" I asked. "Oh yeah, that dragon girl, ugh… if you insist, then I suppose I'll lead you to her." "Thank you." Draco appeared miserable and seemed full of innocence. She sat down with her hands cuffed, unable to move around very well. Her and the misfortunes that she has, it was unlucky to say the least. "Draco, it's me Dave…" "D-Dave? Oh thank God, I need you to help me outta this jam. I didn't have anything to do with it!" She panicked. "Don't worry, I'm already certain that you had no rhyme or reason to kill the victim. But, I still need information… what were you doing at the time of the murder?" I asked her. "Argh… I dunno, my memory of last night was foggy after the hot spring stuff. … uuuh… OH! I did notice something unusual. It was two girls conversing with each other. I don't know who but they seemed to be arguing in private." She said. "Do you know who those two might be?" "Nah, one voice sounded familiar to me, but once again, my memory was screwed up." "Why was your memory like that to begin with, Draco?" "Someone must've laced me with a drug of sorts, because I passed out in a hallway. Next thing I know, I woke up, being taken into custody, without knowing what the fuck had happened! In fact, I still feel light headed and confused right now." I knew that her words were going to be important, but without her complete recollection of the time, me and Ringo were stuck with a fragmented testimony. "Was there anything else that you recall?" I asked. "Not really, that's about it.. ugh why is it always me that ends up in bad situations?" She wondered. "Looks like we aren't able to get anymore from her, Dave…" Ringo said. "Yeah, you're right Ringo… Draco I swear, I will prove you innocent in all this… just hang on alright? You saved me, now it my turn to do the same for you. It's only fair since you were so kind to me." I told her. Draco starts sniveling in relief. "***sob* *sniff*** Thank you so much Dave…" I waved to her goodbye, and left with Ringo at my side every step of the way.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and Ringo set off, preparing to investigate not just the crime scene, but the entire resort. They learned of who was assumed to have murdered the victim Mari, Draco Centauros. Dave was fully intent on proving Draco's innocence no matter what. Just what secrets lie around for these two to find? It was only a matter of time before they go discover the truth behind this murder, but what could this very truth be? Next chapter, Chapter 15: Investigation.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Investigation**

Me and Ringo returned to the crime scene where almost everybody left. The few that remained wanted to know the truth as well. Jace seemed to wait for my arrival and noticed me. "Ah Dave, we have just finished so you can now start now, but I doubt you'll find anything that we haven't already uncovered. I'll take my leave and prepare for tomorrow with the evidence." I nod and he leaves, showing a depressed look. "I guess he's still recovering from Mari's death." I assumed. "Yeah, he did seem to care about her an awful lot…" Ringo agreed. I realized that Risukuma was still around, muttering words to himself. "Hey Ris, you're still looking around?" I asked. "Oh Dave, uh yes I am. So I'm to presume that you two are going to now investigate?" "Yeah we are." I replied. "Here's the thing Dave, Jace told me not to help out, but you two ARE my friends so… If you need any information, feel free to ask me. Just don't tell him that I helped you, I already know how pissed he can be when things don't go his way." He said. "That's fine, I just want to get to the truth. So, do you personally believe that Draco did it Ris?" "That… I'm not sure, much of the evidence does point to her, but… She just doesn't seem to be the type. Regardless though, if there aren't any other suspects, then she's the only one who could feasibly do this." He summed his thoughts. "I see, you want to doubt the evidence, but there's not much room to do so…" I reworded. "Not doubt it exactly Dave, I know that it leads somewhere, I just don't want it to point to the girl." He corrected me. "Additionally as can clearly you see over there by the body, there's a picture of currently our main suspect, drawn on paper in ink. She most likely dropped the paper when being struck from behind. Not to mentioned, there was a pen on her personage, in one of these pockets..." "***sigh*** That's not good, it means the victim saw our killer, just before she was attacked." "and, last but not least, Draco's door has been left open, presumingly ever since the time of the attack." Ringo breaks our current topic for something important. "Ris, what about an autopsy, do you have a copy for us?" She asked him. "OH! How could I forget? Jace told me that I was supposed to give this to you." He gave us the autopsy and we read through it.

_Victim, Mari: Age 16_

_Time of Death: Approximately 1:00 A.M._

_Cause of Death: A single stab wound to the back, instantaneous _

_Condition of the Body: No other signs of damage were visible on the body besides blunt force trauma that is suggested to have been postmortem. This is shown as a bruise on the back of the victim's head. Remnants of a currently unknown drug were also found in the victim's bloodstream._

Ringo asked me something regarding the autopsy. "Dave you're good with English class, what does postmortem mean?" "It means after death when it comes to autopsies like this one Ringo. So in other words, that case of blunt force trauma is stated to have occurred after the killing blow." I told her. "Huh… but wait, that doesn't make sense, why bother banging someone on the head if they are already dead?" She questioned. "I'm not sure Ringo, maybe Ris has an explanation for us." I said. "Risukuma, let me ask you something, who made this autopsy?" I asked. "That… would be me, why do you ask?" "Well it's about the blunt force trauma part, why would the killer bother hitting the victim on the back of the head after... when she should have been already dead from the stab wound? There just doesn't seem to be a legitimate reason for doing such." I surmised. Risukuma's eyes widen from this, being incredibly surprised. "Well, that's certainly interesting, I... don't... know." He stumbled on his words for about a minute or two before giving up. "Maybe if we investigate together, we'll find the reason for this." I insisted. "Maybe… come over here you two, I think there are other things to see." Risukuma stated. "Any bits of evidence, Ris?" Ringo asked him. "There is, one piece of evidence to be precise… this key right here." I took one long and hard look at the key and came to a sudden realization. "Isn't this the master key of the resort? What is it doing in this hallway just lying about?" I saw that the handle of the key was bigger than the normal room keys, so I concluded that this had to be it. "The master key huh... the one that's able to open any door in the building?" Ringo assumed. "Yeah, a skeleton key of sorts, I believe that it's relevant to this case." I said.

"So, does the knife have any fingerprints Ris?" I questioned. "It does, but only the defendant's are on it. "What about the key?" "That's what we're about to find out…" He scanned the key. "They are not the defendant's… ah here it is! These are… the vice president's prints." He answered. "Wait, Kassandra's prints… why are they on this of all things?" "Beats me…" We couldn't wrap our heads around the mystery surrounding this key, so we decided to shift our focus somewhere else. "Anything else around?" "Not particularly, Dave." "I suppose we should look at other areas, it's not always just about the crime scene." Risukuma and Ringo nod to me and we left the scene. "I think we should start asking around for some witnesses, it would be helpful to have some testimony to go off from…" I stated. "I agree, there are so many holes in this case that questions are everywhere." Ringo said. I hear a familiar voice greeting me. "H-hello, Dave." It was Lidelle. "Oh hey there, Lidelle! Did you see anything at the time of the murder? It would really help us out in trying to figure out what really happened." I asked her nicely. "I-I'm sorry, I don't really know anything… but, Big Sister couldn't have done it." "_"Big Sister"_... you mean Draco?" "Yes…" I saw that her eyes were watering a bit. "Don't worry, I'll prove her innocent no matter what." Just when I was about to leave, Lidelle alerts me of something. "W-wait Dave, Ms. Accord might know something about what happened last night. If any would, she is most likely to have seen something. She's over by the garden at the back of the resort in case if you didn't know." She told me. "Say, that doesn't sound like a bad idea... thank you, Lidelle. You just take care of yourself now, okay?" "S-sure, good luck on your path in finding the truth." We paid Accord a little visit in this garden. I heard slight humming of her voice as she viewed the flowers. "Uh, excuse me Miss..." Risukuma trailed. She turned around to face me. "Oh, it's Dave and his friends. Is there something you need, my pupil?" She wondered. "It's about the murder that occured last night, do you know anything that'll pinpoint the murderer?" I tossed the question.. "Oh dear… Well I'll be blunt, I witnessed the very moment of what you speak." She admitted. "What?! Did you see who?" "No, my apologies. It was too dark to make out who, but I do believe that they were of a similar physique to Ms. Centauros. I do not believe that she would do this, after all, she did save you. ***giggle*** And well, you should know the rest after I saw them approach Mari. They stabbed her in the back and I was afraid, so I left quickly. Also, about thirty minutes before the murder, I heard an argument of sorts from two people. I didn't know what it was about however, I heard Kassandra's voice. I assume that it was student council stuff, to which they weren't getting along." Accord recalled. "Interesting, thanks for the information Ms. Accord, that narrows our suspect list down. That argument that you heard, I believe that it's the same one that Draco mentioned." "I see, that is quite the coincidence..." I bow and we leave as she waves goodbye. "I don't get it, Dave... how does that help us? Je just now know that she witnesses the crime unfolding, and seemingly irrelevant squabbling." "It's all about context Ringo, remember what she said about our murderer having a _"similar physique"_? That means the real killer was female, so it rules out every single man in the building." "So what, now we have to find out which busty girl did it? Besides Draco of course..." "***sigh*** You didn't have to put it like that Ringo… but yes, that does seem to be the case. First though, we should head back to Draco, so that we can tell her who was part of that argument." I said. "I agree, something tells me that there is more to this than meets the eye." Risukuma emphasized.

We came back to Draco, her head perked up in surprise. "Dave? I didn't expect you to return to me…" "It's about that argument you heard last night, did one of the voices happen to belong to Kassandra? Try to remember for me, this is crucial." I waited for her to make a response. "Hmm… Lemme see, Kassandra… Oh yeah, I remember her voice now, she was part of that. Why do ya ask?" "Because a witness caught wind of that in addition to the murder. "Did they know what it was about?" She asked me. "No, not exactly, but they assumed that it was student council stuff, to which they weren't getting along." I finished. "Dave, I'm starting to figure this out, wasn't Kassandra a bit _"busty"_?" "Yeah… but we can't know for sure yet. We'll ask questions, but we aren't going to be prematurely indicting her as the true culprit. Let's just play along with things as we go." "Okay-" ***buzz* **"Oh excuse me, I have a call from Jace, mind if I have some alone time?" "Sure Ris, go right ahead." Me and Ringo waited for him to finish his call. "Sorry, it looks like you two will have to go on without me. Jace needs my assistance, and he'll become suspicious of my actions if I don't go to him." He explained. "That's fine, I think that you more than helped us for the time being, see you!" I waved. "Should we go to Kassandra then? Wherever she is…" Ringo suggested. I nodded and we went on to find her. It didn't take too long and we found her sitting down in the resort lobby. "Hey Kassandra, mind if we have a chat?" I asked her. "Sure, about what exactly?" "Did you have an argument with another person last night before the murder?" She paused for a bit before speaking. "Why yes I did, but why do you know about that?" "A witness to the crime just so happened to overhear it somewhat and told us that she heard your voice. Let me just ask you a simple but important question... Who were you arguing with?" "Mari." She answered me. "Wait, you were talking to the victim before she died?!" I exclaimed. Ringo seemed to be just as shocked about it. "I believe that happened thirty minutes before the murder took place. So yes, I could have been the last person to make contact with Mari before her death. Just in case if you find that suspicious, I have an alibi during the time of the murder. Jace can vouch for me on that. You see, we were doing some late night work. Of course, he didn't realize that murder occurred at the time. He only started to really get angry during this morning upon finding out about it, and told me. If you don't think that it's true, you can ask him whether or not that's the case." I paused briefly before saying anything else as a response. "I… wasn't, but if you have an alibi… then that only helps us out. Thank you for telling us the truth, Kassandra, I appreciate it." "I am the vice president of student council, of course I wouldn't foolishly lie." "C'mon Ringo, let's go." I said. "Okay!" She cheerily worded.

When we were far enough away, we discussed. "You think she's telling the truth, Dave?" Ringo asked. "I'm not sure, it depends on what Jace says. We saw the guy talking to Risukuma, probably going over parts of the case. "Hey Jace, I needs words of confirmation." I told him. "What now, can't you see that I'm busy?" He questioned, irritated. I explained to him the whole thing with Kassandra whether it was true or not. "She speaks the truth, Dave. We were together at the time and neither of us left the special reserved room at any point that night, although…" He scratched his head a little. "Although what?" "She wore completely different perfume than the one kind that she always had. It was the kind of smell that I think she would normally HATE. I was confused and curious, so I asked her what it was, compared to the usual. She showed me the bottle, which I have here. It's blue and has the smell of hydrangeas, whilst the usual that I speak of is pink and has the smell of cherry blossoms." I looked at the two bottles closely. "Mind if I hold on to the blue perfume for the time being, Jace?" "I don't, she didn't seem to care too much about that one." I was wondering quite a bit about that perfume as we left him. "It makes me wonder, why the drastic change in perfume?" I asked. "Yeah, it just seems off." Ringo agreed. "There's something that Kassandra's not telling us Ringo… I have something in mind that I want you to do. Get the master key from the crime scene and enter in her room, do you know where it is?" I asked of her. "I do, but why, Dave?" "I need you to investigate that room for anything out of place and take pictures of those things with your phone. Meanwhile, I will keep her busy by asking her about this perfume. That should buy you enough time to see what she could be potentially hiding." "I dunno, are you sure about this? It'll be breaking an enter-" I stopped her. "No it won't, if it means discovering the truth, then it's justifiable. Just don't let anyone see you enter or leave the room. We won't have a lot of time to do this, I'll message you as soon as I approach Kassandra. That way, you can make the most of this time." She thought about it for a second. "Alright, I'll do it, just don't screw things up for me." "I won't, Ringo." At that point, we went on our separate ways.

**Ringo's POV**

I waited for him to message as I stood by the master key, with my back against the nearby wall. ***buzz* **"That must be him." I saw his message, messaged him back in acknowledgement and then he texted me good luck, as well as to be careful of myself. "It's go time…" I grabbed the key and rushed over to Kassandra's room. "So far, so good…" I opened the door's lock, while making sure there was no one around. I entered and closed the door quietly. "So, let's see what you can be hiding from us…" I looked around closely for anything that we considered odd. In the drawers, I found the same bottles of perfume, both pink and blue. I didn't think that was weird, but then I realized that there was a bunk bed. "Funny, I don't remember her ever mentioning that she had a roommate, otherwise she would've said that Mari was with her here." I just didn't make sense for her to have a room with a bed like that if she was the only one residing in it. A desk nearby had a single lone drawer leading to something crazy. "Hm, what is this picture? Spy Gal-atea ***sigh***..." I thought that was a seriously bad pun of gal and Galatea. "...and Spy Queen." I didn't think much of this at first, pushing back the drawer. "Wait…" I opened the drawer once more and looked at the two female spies. "One of them looks like… Kassandra? And, what's this under here?" It looked like a diary entry of sorts. _"This has gone on for too long, I hated her ever since she join that student council. She has been on to me being a criminal spy, that Meriweather…! She thinks that she can catch me and my partner, but she has another thing coming to her. Even if she hadn't revealed herself to me personally at this point in time, I know that it's her. She just calls herself Mari, but I recognize her voice. How could I forget? The bitch has thwarted me multiple times in the past. However this time, things are going to be different, I won't have her get the best of me again. I'll kill her, and no one else in INTERPUYO will be able to stop us. Spy Gal-atea had agreed to assist me, she'll be under the guise of "Kassandra" and keep that fool Jace occupied. At the same time, I want to pin this murder on that dragon girl who went to violate me and breasts. I despise her sex-driven nature and happy-go-lucky attitude. Let's see how she likes it when she's framed for something that she didn't do. I can get rid of two birds with one stone, and no one shall be the wiser. I'll also be able to finish the mission that I was asked to do on the Puyo Isles. The higher-ups were curious about Dave, they say that he came from a world of which not a single other person seems to know about. I don't know why they were curious of the boy, he didn't seem to be particularly interesting. I'm confident in my ability to do this, after all, I am a mostly successful criminal spy." _ I couldn't believe what I was reading, from line to line. "This… this proves everything…!" I see another thing under the bunk bed, costumes matching from the image I saw earlier. "My God…" Yet another object caught my eyes, it was picture of Mari, or now I know her as Meriweather. "So, this is how she actually looks like…" The picture came with a short description of what INTERPUYO was. _"INTERPUYO is an international organization made up of undercover agents. This was constructed for the purpose of stopping big-time criminals on a huge scale and keeping people all over, safe from harm." _I read it in shock, I didn't think that there was a group like that around. I found one final, incriminating piece of evidence by a mirror. It was a prescription box, filled with a single medical drug in the form of powder. The box stated that a dose of the prescription lasts for twenty-four hours. "Could this be the unknown drug noted in the autopsy? I'll bring some back with me, then Ris can analyze it. Good thing that I'm carrying an emergency glass vial." At that moment I decided to take pictures on my phone of everything that I found to be important. "Alright, with this kind of evidence, she won't be able to squirm out once we call her in as a witness tomorrow." I check to see if anyone was near the door as I jutted my head outside the room. The hallway was absolutely empty with no one around to speak of. I closed and locked the door back up and dashed back over to the crime, unseen, and place the key back down where it rough was before. "Alright, mission accomplished…" I said to myself, relaxed. I went ahead to text Dave that I was finished with my excursion.

**Dave's POV**

I continued discussing about the perfume, although I wasn't getting much of anywhere with it. "It's one that I've gotten into more recently, that's all there is to it, Dave." "I see, what kind of student council work did you do with Jace, specifically at the time?" "I don't see why it matters, at the end of the day... it's trivial at best. We were planning a surprise for you guys for the last day of the resort, of course, Jace didn't want me to be telling anybody else what it is." ***buzz* **It was Ringo, she finished her insight of Kassandra's room and wanted me to rendezvous back to our room. "Well that's quite some timing… Anyway, that's all that I wanted to discuss, thank you for devoting your own time into this. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to." I bowed. "Whatever." She responded. I came back to her, awaiting her findings. I closed to door behind us and sat down, relieved. "Quite of lot of shit here, Dave... these photos prove everything." I skimmed through them one by one. "What the…? Spies? International organization INTERPUYO? I won't deny that this is one hell of a development, Ringo. So in that diary entry... How do these higher-ups know who I am, and why do they care?" Ringo just shrugs at my questions. Then, she gave me a vial containing a powder of sorts. "What is this?" "It's some kinda medical drug, I don't know what kind it is though." I paused for a second. "Wait, could this be… the unknown drug that was found in the victim's bloodstream?" "That's something I guessed too, but we won't know for sure unless we have Ris look that this." Ringo called Risukuma and invited him into our room. "Alright, where is this stuff? Okay, let the testing commence." He pointlessly announced. It took him about ten minutes to do. When all was said and done, he obtained the final results. "My God, this stuff is the same as what was found in the victim…" He trailed. "Do you know the purpose of it, Ris?" I asked. "I do now, it's a powdery anesthetic, Dave. It's usually put into non-alcoholic drinks and applied near one's eyes to make falling asleep easier. Although it has potential side effects, such as the fact that a person's memory of the night of applying could become clouded." "***gasp*** Draco mentioned that in her testimony of last night." "Wait, the defendant had been drugged with this too? Well, isn't this confusing…" He stumbled. " I might have to confirm this, by taking a sample of her blood." Risukuma pulled out small a needle and we left to go see her.

"Hey Draco, this maybe weird to request from you, but we need some of your blood." I said to her. "W-what? Why?" She asked me, panicked. "You said that you must have been drugged or something, right? We want to see if there is a trace of outside substances in your bloodstream. So Ris, if you would…" Risukuma waves the needle above Draco. "Uuuuh… I feel scared, PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! ***whimper***" She yelled, flailing around and crying. "Don't worry it'll be over before you know it…" He said, inserting the needle into her arm. "OW! ***whimper*** What did I do to deserve any of this? ***sniff* *sob***" "It's okay, Draco... you pulled through just fine. I need you to be a brave girl moving forward, alright?" I comforted and hugged her. "Dave… ***continued sobbing*** ***sniff***" "There, there… be at ease my friend…" I remained planted to that spot until she felt better. "Dave is just so sweet sometimes…" Ringo fluttered. "I find it to be rather heartwarming, his love and care for others seems to know no bounds." Risukuma replied. "So, what about Draco's blood, Ris?" She asked. "Well would you look at that... we have a match." I jumped back up to my feet upon hearing that. "I'm not too shocked by that… anyway, thank you for all your help, Ris." "Don't mention it, what are friends for?" He leaves us, probably heading back to Jace at that time. I feel a tug pull on my shirt. "Let's go back to our room, we need to review the rest of the evidence and get a good night's sleep." Ringo pressured me. "Very well... Draco, there's no need to worry. As I keep saying, I WILL get you out of this situation." I stated firmly. I smiled at her as a sign of reassurance, then she looked like she finally decided grow up. With her smiling back, I felt deep in my heart, that she learned to grow up and cope with stuff like this. Me and Ringo returned to our room for the rest of the night. I eagle-eyed the evidence meticulously while Ringo lighten up the silent mood every once in a while. We turn in and prepared ourselves mentally for whatever comes next.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and Ringo uncover many bits of evidence from their investigation (with the help of Risukuma). The mystery continuously evolved as time went on. The trial follows suit on the next day (AKA: occurs in the next chapter). For all my readers, the next chapter WILL be written in a different format. Why though? It'll complement the constant talking of several, to many characters much better than the standard novel style. You'll see how it'll work out soon enough. Next chapter, Chapter 16: Court in Session.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Court in ****Session**

I woke up on the following morning and rustled Ringo a bit to get her raring to go.

**Me:** "C'mon Ringo, today's the big day."

**Ringo: **"***yawn*** Okay…"

Today was the day, I couldn't screw things up at this point. I had too much at stake, with the upcoming trial. We refreshed ourselves with all the evidence before it was time to show up as the defense.

**Me: **"Let's go, Ringo..."

**Ringo:** "Yeah, let's go prove Draco innocent of this crime."

We made a high-five in hopes of keeping our optimism high and strong. Leaving our room, we arrived shortly to the courtroom, just before the trial is supposed to take place.

**Jace: **"Oh, Dave. Are you ready to admit that this case is all too simple?"

**Me: **"Jace, you should know me well already. When I believe in something, I stick to that, no matter what."

**Jace: **"Tch. I know you too, you know... Sometimes you think rather irrationally and spout nonsense."

**Me:** "We'll see whether that's truly the case, it matters not what the facts initially say."

**Jace:** "Pah… Now anyway, if you can excuse me... I need to prepare."

**Ringo:** "We'll prove Jace wrong... here in this courtroom."

**Me: **"Yeah, let's show him that things are not always what they seem right out of the gate."

**Feli: **"Hey Dave, I'll be rooting for you to win this trial. Even if I do have a grudge against that dragon girl, she still doesn't deserve this. Make sure to give her my regards before this begins."

**Me:** "Oh, hi Feli and Lemres, also... thanks a lot for the support."

**Amitie: **"Don't forget about us, Dave, we'll be watching you from the gallery."

**Lidelle:** "S-save Big Sister…"

**Raffina: **"Bring home the gold for us, by that I mean... that girl's innocence."

**Amitie: **"Go and do what your heart thinks is right!"

**Lemres: **"Just be the cool guy that you always are, you'll do fine, dude."

**Arle: **"Me and Carby here will root for you as a team!"

**Me: **"Thank you, don't you worry yourselves. I know I can damn well get this job done with Ringo directly at my side, and your support as well. By the way Arle, where's Schezo?"

**Arle:** "I dunno, he just kinda disappeared today after he did his early morning training."

**Me: **"Huh… no matter. I'm sure that he's also praying for Draco to be found innocent."

**Arle: **"Dave, I don't think that he-"

**Me: **"OH! Would you look at the time... Ringo, let's meet up with Draco in the defendant lobby before the trial starts."

Ringo nods as we begin to depart to our next location, prior to the trial.

**Me:** "Hey Draco, how are you faring today compared to yesterday?"

**Draco: **"I feel a hell of a lot better, thanks for carin' about me so much, Dave!"

**Me: **"I'm glad to see that you are happy for the first time since we entered that special vehicle to get here."

**Draco: **"Yeah, me too. So do ya know who really dunnit?"

**Ringo: **"That'll be revealed during the trial, don't get your panties in a twist, Draco."

**Draco: **"Whatever, as long as I know who by the end of this…"

**Dave: **"Oh yeah, Draco, Feli told to give you her regards. She thinks that you don't deserve a guilty verdict, even when she hates you."

**Draco: **"Oh, that's certainly somethin'..."

At this point, we are called by a bailiff to enter in the courtroom.

**?:** "You are now instructed to head inside of the courtroom."

**Me: **"Z-Zed? You're the bailiff?"

**Zed: **"Captain Ex has asked me to be in this position for the time being."

**Draco:** "Ya know this robot, Dave?"

**Me: **"Not really, I just heard a little bit about him from some of the others."

**Ringo: **"Somehow, I don't really see Zed as a bailiff…"

**Me: **"Me neither, Ringo... but that's besides the point."

**Zed: **"Anyway, are you three ready to enter inside?"

**Me: **"Yes, we are."

We waited in anticipation as the doors to the courtroom opened. We saw many people, including our friends and companions sitting in the gallery. It was pretty much a full-house in there.

**Feli's POV**

I sat with Lemres and the others, just watching Dave, Ringo, and the dragon girl enter. Dave and Ringo end up on the left side of the court where I watched from. They had serious expressions on their faces, generally not showing any silliness. And coming from the other side, was that Jace guy. The dragon girl sat by that robot, where it was keeping a close eye on her. I didn't know much about how courts worked, but Dave's hard effort made me… intrigued to say the least. To me, things were heating up into a type of battle that I was oblivious to.

**Me: **"There's Dave!"

**Lemres:** "Looks like the show's finally startin' Feli…"

**Amitie: **"I just hope that Dave and Ringo don't screw this up…"

**?:** "Hey guys, it looks like we made it just in time."

**Me: **"Who-?"

**Arle:** "Oh, it's Tee, Ai, Jay, and Elle!"

**Me: **"Tee? Well then, you might not really know me… I'm Feli."

**Tee: **"Nice to meet you then Feli, is Ringo here?"

**Me: **"No, she's down there with Dave."

**Tee: **"Am I to assume that she is a legal assistant for Dave?"

**Me: **"I guess…? I'm not really familiar with law and all that."

**Ai: "**Young lady, I do believe that I can share some knowledge to you regarding court trials. However, don't expect me to be an expert of this, my main occupation is that of an engineer. Alright, so that Dave fellow... and the other young lady next to him, they serve as _"defense"_. Their main goal is to get a non-guilty verdict for the defendant, all by disproving arguments made by the other side, the _"prosecution". _Their goal is the opposite, to prove that the defendant DID commit the crime. Both sides throw out any evidence they hold to help their own case, whilst discrediting the other. That robot by the defendant... he's the bailiff for this, his name is Zed. Risukuma told me quite a bit what this crime was about. Showing me some evidence and giving me a small summary of what Dave has discovered. I don't know everything though, mostly because Risukuma wasn't allowed to show me all of the evidence found by the prosecution. At this point in time, I only know a little more than the basics of this mystery."

**Me:** "I see, well thanks for the info, things won't be as confusing to me now."

**Ai: **"I'm glad that I was able to assist by clarifying details."

**Jay: **"Defense and prosecution…"

**Elle:** "What are you thinking, Jay?"

**Jay: **"I just wonder if the two of us could work in the legal world some day..."

**Elle: **"You think so?"

**Jay: **"Yeah, it would feel nice to go and save people from being wrongfully accused. I think that Dave guy has inspired me with that passion of his."

**Elle:** "Me too, Jay…"

**Jay: **"Well, you know what they say, Elle… _"Twins often think alike"_.

**Tee: **"It's really surprising how much you two had grown up so much, mentally speaking."

**Elle**: "Yeah, it's surprising to us too, we almost feel like adults now compared to how we were in the past. Seriously, pranks are just so juvenile…"

***bang***

**Ex: **"The court is now in session for the murder of Mari, a member of Suzuran High school's student council. This was believed to have been committed by Draco Centauros. Now then, is the prosecution ready?"

**Jace: **"The prosecution is fully prepared, Your Honor."

**Ex: **"And what about the defense, are you ready?"

**Dave: **"Yes we are, Your Honor."

**Ex: **"Am I to understand that you have a legal assistant for this trial, Dave?"

**Dave: **"That is correct, Your Honor."

**Ex: **"Very well then, Prosecutor Jace... you may present your opening statement regarding this case."

**Jace: **"***ahem*** It happened around one in the morning… Our victim, Mari in this case, was walking down the dark hallway. She was blissfully unaware of what danger followed her. And then, when the killer found a prime opportunity, she attacked her. I would go to describe it, but this autopsy explains the gist of her cause of death. I hereby present it to the court for everyone to see. Although, the defense already knows this since I ordered my subordinate, Detective Risukuma, to give them a copy during the investigation yesterday."

**Ex: **"The court accepts the autopsy to be relevant evidence. So, this is how it really went down?"

**Jace: **"Precisely, and furthermore... I have our detective here today to present even more incriminating evidence. I now call Detective Risukuma to the stand."

I saw all of this unfolding before my eyes. It looked like a shitty position for Dave, but I was also interested in where this was going. To put it simply, I continued to watch the trial.

**Jace: **"State you name and occupation."

**Risukuma:** "Detective Risukuma, temporary homicide detective."

**Jace: **"You have evidence that points to the defendant being guilty right?"

**Risukuma:** "O-of course, two pieces to be exact. But, let me tell everything in the form of a testimony. Is that alright with you, your honor?"

**Ex: "**I don't see any reason not to, go right ahead."

**Risukuma: **"So as the prosecutor was saying, the murder happen around one in the morning. When the victim saw the accused, she drew a picture of her just before her untimely demise."

**Dave: **"Objection! There's no way that the victim could have feasibly detailed the accused on paper so quickly. The autopsy states that the victim died instantly after being stabbed. Also, even if she decided to take more time drawing down the accused, the paper would get bloody, when the body was stabbed. Last time I checked, there isn't a single bloody spot it. How do you explain that?!"

**Jace: **"Objection! That _"contradiction" _can be easily explained. We all know that single sheets of paper tend to be light, right? I wouldn't call it farfetched to assume that the paper shot out of the victim's hand... as the force of the stab caused her to lose her grip on it. So while it was floating in the air, no blood would be splattered onto it. Oh, and don't think that it would be likely for it just to fall back down to the newly made blood pool, directly below…"

**Dave: **"W-why wouldn't it be?"

**Jace: "**Paper has a distinct floating pattern compared to other objects. After a strong force, the airborne sheet falls back down slowly in a swaying fashion. In other words, it most likely didn't fall straight down to the ground where the blood was at!"

**Dave: **"W-what?!"

**Ringo:** That is definitely plausible, because I know physics… dammit."

**Jace: **"If you're done proving nothing, I would like the detective to elaborate on the murder weapon."

**Risukuma: **"Oh yes. ***ahem*** The murder, a knife embedded in the victim's back, this caused the instantaneous death. The knife itself bears the defendants prints. Additionally, there was also a head wound, confirmed to have been blunt force trauma. You can see that in the autopsy… it is suggested to have been postmortem."

**Ex: **"Postmortem? I find that to be extremely odd... Why would the killer bother to do that when they already stabbed the body?"

**Jace: **"We don't know the reasoning behind that your honor, nor do we know what caused the wound itself to begin with. That is still being determined at this very moment. Either way, you are done here detective, you may go. Now, I call up a person who witnessed the murder to the stand."

We sat there in shock that Dave was having a rough time so far.

**Me:** "Jace turned it around like it was nothing, and I thought that Dave's logic was good…"

**Lemres: **"He's certainly not pullin' any punches… If Dave keeps makin' amateur-ish mistakes like this, then…"

**Amitie: **"C'mon, we have to believe that he can do this."

**Tee: **"Amitie is right, we can't lose hope on him, no matter what."

**Ai:** "I'm going to wish Dave the very best of luck here."

**Me: **"Dave…"

**Jace: **"Witness, state your name and occupation for the court."

**Schezo: **"Schezo Wegey, dark mage."

**Arle: **"Wait, Schezo witnessed the murder?"

**Lemres: **"I guess so, Arle…"

**Jace:** "Could you tell the court what you saw from the murder?"

**Schezo: **"Fine. Like it was already established, it happened around one in the morning. I hid in the shadows, befitting of a dark mage, witnessing this as it went by. I saw the attacker strike the victim's head with a hard object. Then, I watched the body as it was finished off with a single stab to the back."

**Dave:** "... Hold on…. did you say that the victim was hit on the head first?! But... that conflicts with the autopsy!"

The people in the gallery erupted in a cacophony. ***bang bang***

**Ex: **"Order! This does indeed conflict with the autopsy."

**Jace: **"Not really, Your Honor... because I now realize that what was stated in there regarding the head wound is wrong. It's undeniable considering this testimony, so that wound must have came before the stab wound. The question is though, Dave... do you think that something this small changes anything?"

**Dave:** "...Yes. I believe it does, Jace. Consider this for a second... Maybe that was what the killer wanted from the beginning. By making the head wound seem like it came after the stab, the killer made us think that there was a struggle. I believe that the drawing of the accused wasn't created by the victim."

**Jace:** "What do you mean by that?"

**Dave: **"This _"doodle"_ is awfully detailed... I still stand by that there was no way the victim could have done it in time before her death. This is especially apparent if you take into account the pen that is in a pocket of the victim's clothes."

**Jace: **"W-WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me about this, Detective Risukuma?!"

**Riskuma: **"In my defense, I figured that the pen itself didn't contribute to any of this, only the drawing…"

**Jace:** "Detective…!"

**Risukuma: **"L-look, no one's perfect sir-"

**Jace: **"That's not my problem with this… you could have at LEAST mentioned it somewhere! Anyway, we need to see if the ink matches with the paper. Your Honor, I request an examination of the ink in the pen and on the paper."

**Ex:** "Request granted, we will now take a ten minute recess for the prosecution to retrieve that pen from the crime scene."

**Risukuma: **"That won't be necessary Your honor, I have it right here."

**Ex: **"What are you waiting for then, Detective? Present it immediately to the court!"

**Jace: **"Now, let's see if this is a match…"

**Analysis Machine: **_"Does not match."_

**Jace: **"WHAT?!"

**Dave**: "As I was saying... it's just a mere fantasy that the victim actually had time to draw out the victim. So you may ask at this point... _"Where does this go from here?"_. Well I'm glad that question could be brought up. If the victim didn't draw it, then it's safe to assume that a third party was, in someway, involved."

**Ex:** "What in-?!"

**Jace: **"The hell?!"

**Dave: **"If we consider the possibility of a third party, then the entire case gets flipped on its head. Everything that we thought we knew is either incorrect, or ordered in a different way. I have a witness of my own that may help shed some light on this."

**Ex: **"Very well, who are you going to call to the stand?"

**Dave:** "... Ms. Accord, Your Honor."

**Ex: **"That name… I know her. Regardless, the defense's request is granted."

Some time passes before Accord enters the stand.

**Jace: **"***sigh* **This is getting absurd… Witness, state your name and occupation."

**Accord: **"Ms. Accord, I'm an instructor from Primp Magic School."

**Ex:** "Dave has stated that you also witnessed the murder, is this true?"

**Accord:** "Yes... it is the truth, Your Honor. Although, I didn't see Mari's killer, because I was scared and decided to leave. There is one crucial thing that I want to say, the killer behind this, whoever they are, is undoubtedly a girl. I saw quite the bust on their chest, but it wasn't Draco, that much I know."

**Ex: **"Then you suppose that it was a different girl with a similar figure?"

**Accord: **"Yes, in fact, I may know who, although, I'm not entirely certain. My assumption is based on an argument, between two people, that I overheard about thirty minutes prior to the murder."

**Ex: **"An argument? This _"third party" _was part of an argument?"

**Accord: **"I heard Kassandra's voice, so I can tell she was part of it…"

**Ex: **"Who was the other person?"

**Accord: **"I don't know, but I guess that person was a student council member. They were not getting along with whatever they had on their minds."

**Ex: **"Then should we bring Kassandra in as a witness?"

**Dave: **"Yes, I demand that she comes up to the stand to give us testimony."

**Ex: **"Request granted, we will now take a fifteen minute recess to prepare Kassandra as a witness. Both the defense and prosecution are to prepare themselves in advance during this time."

***bang***

**Me:** "I can't believe what just occurred…"

**Arle: **"It's crazy to say the least… there are still many things that I'm left in the dark about."

**?:** "Nothing's darker than me... my dear, Arly…"

**Arle: **"! S-Satan? What are you doing here?"

**Satan: **I couldn't miss Dave winning this trial, besides, I felt sorry for Draco. She got framed for murder of all things. Although yes... I, myself commit devilish things, but it's never anything to the extreme. I want to right some wrongs that I have done in the past. Now, you may not believe this initially Arly, and I understand that. You hate me in every sense of the word… however, something inside of me has changed ever since Dave became the Demonic Dragon Warrior. He transmogrified into a partial demon, however, he wanted to save people, more than anything else. His gentle, but yet serious nature, has allowed himself to transcend. At the moment, I decided to watch over him to see what path he chose to take. I'll give up being your _"villain"_, if it means that you don't hate me anymore. I'll only help your friend accomplish whatever he wishes."

**Arle:** "You mean you'll give up being creepy like Schezo?"

**Satan: **"S-something like that… And so, it is with a regretful heart that I apologize deeply... for everything that I tried to do to you all this time, and to Carbunny. ***sniff* *sob*** Can you forgive me for my sins, Arly?"

**Arle: **"Yeah… I forgive you. This time, I truly do sense a light shining in you. You have finally learned your lesson, thank you…"

**Satan: **"You're too kind… thank you, Arly…"

**?: **"You? A change of heart? Now there's something that you don't see every day..."

**Arle: **"Schezo?"

**Schezo: **"Arle, I find it just as surprising... hearing the tone in his voice… it's no doubt legitimate. And yeah, I'll be up here for the rest of this trial. I had no idea that Dave was defending in this…"

**Lemres: **"Dark Mage, do you think that Dave can win the trial?"

**Schezo: **'I'm not entirely certain, but I know that he's up to something."

**Amitie: **"Are you okay Feli?"

**Me: **"H-huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine…"

**Sig:** "I dunno about that, you seem to be spacing out."

**Me: **"S-Sig… and Klug too? When did you get here?"

**Sig:** "I followed Schezo up here to the gallery…"

**Klug: **"I didn't hear about this until recently, and took word from the street that Dave was defending someone."

**Raffina: **"Yeah he is, defending his client. How do you feel about that, do you know what this is about?"

**Sig: **"From what I was able to scrape up… roughly. A case of murder early in the morning, the victim being Mari of the Suzuran Student Council."

**Klug: **"That's what I picked up on too essentially."

**Me: **"That part is pretty much correct."

**Sig: **"Do any of you know who really committed this murder?"

**Satan:** "Not really, even somebody like me doesn't know… Why did I stop watching Dave's movements right about when the murder took place…?"

**Schezo:** "It's fine Satan, it's not your fault. How COULD you know that something like this would happen?"

**Satan: **"It's just something that no one would ever expect from a place like this…"

**Arle: **"Either way, I hope that Dave has this all figured out, otherwise…"

**Ai: **"Yes, that girl will remain as the main suspect in all this if he doesn't prove something."

**Me: **"Damn… I just wish that I can do something, but without all the knowledge that Dave has, I'm just useless."

**Amitie:** "That's not true Feli, there IS something that you can do!"

**Me: **"What?"

**Amitie: **"Go to him, make sure that he feels confident! You still have time since this is the court's recess."

**Me:** "! You're right Amitie…! I'll be back here in time for the rest of this trial."

I hurried to where Dave left to without a single hitch. When he, Ringo and the dragon girl saw me, they were incredibly confused.

**Dave: **"Feli? What are you doing here?"

**Me: **"I just came by to help you feel comfortable, going back into the courtroom… Ringo, and you too, come over to us."

**Draco: **"Me?"

**Me: **"Yeah you… we don't have to fight over who gets to be with Dave, we can all share him, as a harem."

**Ringo: **"I agree."

**Draco: **"Wait, what the hell? A harem? But... I don't really know Ringo, like at all."

**Me:** "Hurry, we don't have much time before you three go back there. Dragon girl, you like Dave don't you? Well here's your chance to actually kiss him. We all have our love for him, and he could use it as help."

**Dave: **"Feli…"

**Draco: **"Okay… and my name's Draco, just for the record."

With that, we took our turns kissing him for about five seconds each. I let Draco take her turn first as she made the most of it. Ringo was next, and I kissed him last, of course, with my usual passionate kissing.

**Me: **"I'll be going back now, don't let us down."

**Ringo: **"Don't worry... we won't, Feli. Dave's gonna save Draco no matter what."

**Me: "**Good."

**Dave's POV**

Feli left, going back to the gallery with a smile on her face. I felt incredible after the comfort that the girls provided me with. Zed instructed us to go back inside as he held onto Draco. I saw Jace at the other side of the courtroom, pissed from something like this, as usual.

***crowd noise* *bang***

**Ex: **"We will now resume this trial without any further delays. Prosecutor Jace, if you would…?"

**Jace: **"***sigh*** Witness, state your name and occupation for the court…"

**Kassandra: **"Kassandra, vice president of Suzuran High Student Council."

**Jace:** "Let me ask you something, do you know why you were summoned here today?"

**Kassandra: **"Let me guess, Dave's the reason why?"

**Jace: **"Pretty much… He wanted testimony from you regarding your actions at the time."

**Kassandra: **"Ugh... Whatever, this farce won't last very long…"

**Me: **"Could you tell the court about what your argument was thirty minutes prior to the murder… as well as who you were squabbling with?"

**Kassandra: **"Can't you just say what it was yourself? I gave you the information yesterday…"

**Me: **"Kassandra... I want the truth to be spoken from the horse's mouth, A.K.A, you."

**Kassandra:** "Fine. The argument entailed student council business, I can assure you that it isn't relevant to this trial. As for who I argued with, it was the victim."

**Ex: **"W-what?! You mean to tell us that you were the last person to see the victim before she was attacked and killed?!"

**Jace: **"That appears to be the case, Your Honor."

**Me: **"This definitely raises questions, Your Honor. However, there's no doubt in my mind… Kassandra, I indict you as the culprit behind this murder!"

**Ex: **"Wha-?! Dave, are you serious with indicting the witness?!"

**Me:** "Yes. Your Honor, I believe- No, I know there is more than enough evidence to prove that."

**Jace: **"OBJECTION! Dave, it seems that you have forgotten… this witness has a rock-solid alibi!"

**Me: **"Jace, I'm taking the _"alibi"_ into account when indicting Kassandra."

**Ex:** "What is this alibi that you speak of, you two?"

**Kassandra:** "Allow me to make it clear, Your Honor… After I had my argument with the victim, I returned to the special room that was reserved for student council members to do work with Jace. Never once did I leave at the time of the murder, because Jace would have noticed that I left."

**Jace: **"And there you have it... There is no feasible way that Kassandra was involved in this. The murder could have ONLY been done by Draco Centauros!"

**Me:** "Jace, had you investigated with me yesterday... then you might have found out the same truth that I'm about to reveal to the court."

**Jace: **"What are you talking about? There's no way… It doesn't matter what you say. Anything that you just speak to us will be nothing but conjecture! Where's the damn evidence, Dave?!"

**Me: **"Just hang on tight, Jace. I'll get to that soon… But, before I can show you evidence proving my claims... I need to state those claims clearly so that the evidence makes sense. Kassandra, upon thorough examination of your room, Ringo found quite the incriminating truth."

**Kassandra: **"What?! You DARE break into my room, you little bitch?!"

**Ringo:** "It's not breaking and entering if you have a good reason to search. After all, at the end of the day, it was Jace that ultimately led us to this conclusion."

**Jace: **"M-me?"

**Ringo:** "Remember yourself describing to us yesterday about your time with Kassandra... You said that she wore perfume that had the kind of smell she would hate."

**Jace: **"Yes… I did. I found that to be a little strange, but I just figured that she suddenly grew attached to its smell…"

**Ringo: **"Jace, the woman that stayed with you in that room, doing work, was not Kassandra."

**Jace: **"WHAT?! I need evidence dammit... SHOW ME!"

At that moment, Ringo showed the court every bit of incrimination that was hidden away in Kassandra's room. The diary entry, two costumes, powdered anesthetic, and the pictures.

**Jace: **"! It can't be…! Two international spies, INTERPUYO, revenge… and they have an interest to Dave?"

**Ex: **"This is… unreal…"

**Me: **"That everyone, is what proves Kassandra irrefutably, as the culprit behind this. We have the evidence that links her to this, and the two separate revenge motivations as well. She wanted to take revenge on the victim Mari, or I should say Meriweather, because she foiled her multiple times. However, even with this, there's no way that she could have done this crime alone. As the diary entry revealed, our spy here planned on utilizing her partner as an accomplice. She had Spy Gal-atea pose as her and kept Jace occupied so that she could advance with her murderous revenge plot. And to think, these two almost got away with this… Thanks to Prosecutor Jace, he picked up on the fact that a different perfume was being worn by the poser. And giving us this information, we deduced that Kassandra, or _"Spy-Queen" _as we now know her as, had to be the one responsible. Additionally, she had recent bad blood with the defendant. Earlier from the night of the murder, she was playfully groped by Draco in the hot springs. That's what the diary entry was referring to. How do I know this? Because, I saw it with my own two eyes, she was quite angry at the energetic and not-so serious dragon girl."

**Kassandra:** "Gyaaah! You saw my breasts?!"

**Me: **"***sigh*** That's besides the point, the fact is, you grew bitter towards the action that Draco did to you. So… you decided to make the poor girl suffer by having her falsely accused of the murder of Meriweather. It all leads back to the scene showing off a supposed struggle. You intentionally threw the detective and prosecution off when they investigated, to ensure in killing two birds with one stone. Finally, you somehow drugged Draco with this powder to make her pass out near the crime scene, the same stuff used on the victim as well. With that being said, let's see you squirm your way out of this one! Oh yeah, by the way, just where is your partner right now? She'll be answering for her separate crimes soon enough… tell us the truth!"

**Kassandra: **"You bastard…! You foiled me, just as how Meriweather did before!"

**Me: **"Except this time, you and your partner aren't escaping from the authorities. I'm sure you two will have a lot of time to think about all the things that you have done, by being locked up for good. Answer my question, where the hell is your partner?! No matter where she may be, there's no way that she could leave this island without being spotted."

**Kassandra: **"Fine, you want an answer?! I'll give one to you now… She's underneath the foundation of the resort right now. There's a cellar entrance on one of the sides of the building, you won't miss it."

**Me:** "Thank you… Now then, Your Honor…"

**Ex:** "What is it?"

**Me:** "I think that it's now time to close out this trial before this accomplice gets away."

**Ex:** "I agree… with the facts presented from the defense taken into account… I hereby find the defendant, Draco Centauros not guilty!"

***bang***

**Draco:** "Alright!"

**Ringo: **"We won, Dave! I feel so great right now!"

**Me:** "Don't celebrate just yet, Ringo... we have a criminal to track down. Jace, come with us, we're finding her."

**Jace:** "I'm coming, I just have to cuff up this VIXEN for tricking me like this… I thought I trusted you, Kassandra... but you were deceiving me behind my very back. Now the student council only consists of me and Gilbert, all because of you."

**Kassandra: **"Dammit, this won't be the end of me, I swear it!"

**Jace: **"Sure it won't… that's what they all say. I can't believe that you have sunk this low…"

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and Ringo pinpointed everyone to the true culprit behind the murder, and Draco Centauros has been declared not guilty as she rejoiced. However, not everything is resolved and happy, Spy Gal-atea is very likely to try and escape from the island. Time is running out for Dave and his friends as they head for the cellar. Next chapter, Chapter 17: Resolution.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Resolution**

We kept running, for what seemed to be ages. At last, the cellar was within our sight as we noticed. "That must be the cellar guys!" I alerted. "Time to arrest this bitch!" Jace yelled. "I couldn't agree with you more, Jace." Ex said. "Wait a minute guys, there's a lock wrapped tightly around the door." Ringo informed us. "What?!" He exclaimed. "Aw man..." Draco muttered. "Damn, what are we going to do now?" I asked. "Hold on, I think I have a lock pick on me, specifically for situations like this... It happens more often than you would think…" He realized. We waited as Jace undid the lock as fast as he could make it go. "Got it." He sighed. "Alright then, let's get in there already and put this case to rest." I said. The door opened with a slight creaking noise, while the cellar below looked to be filled with darkness as we stared. "I'll go in, you guys stay here... I have this pair of night vision glasses to see better in the dark." Jace advised us. We nod, and he leaves us outside like guards on post.

**Jace's POV**

I entered in the cellar, fully intent on cuffing Spy Gal-atea. I held my stun gun close by me as a means of precautionary defense. This place was massive, it would take forever for me to search alone. However, I knew Dave and the others were staying right next to that door. Even if the spy had left this place at the moment, while in the shadows, she would be unexpectedly met with them and most likely pinned down. And, there was no way that she would have been able to leave just before we got here, the door WAS locked after all. "Ugh, even with these glasses, I can still hardly see a thing…" I turned my head ninety degrees to the right and left. "Tch, nothing…" Thus, I continued to walk forward, before hearing a noise that made me stop. "Hello? Is anybody in here?" Before long, I saw a something heading toward me. "!" I attempted to dodge it, but it was like a speeding bullet. "Argh, damnit!" The blade that pierced me, it was slender and small. It punctured the skin on my arm, the same arm that held the stun gun. I see blood beginning to gush out slightly. "My, my… we seem to have someone snooping in things that they should not be…" "Grr… Where are you?! Show yourself!" I saw a figure slowly light up and contrast with the darkness, it was her. "You… Spy Gal-atea…!" "! How do you know who I am, Jace?" "Oh trust me bitch, there's a lot that you don't know at the moment. I will tell you this though, you are... under arrest for acting as an accomplice of murder! If you make any attempt to resist and/or escape, you WILL suffer the consequences!" "Really now? I see that you have discovered the truth… Anyway, I find that hard to believe, you're the only one that I see, and… injured as well. Do you think that you are in ANY position to tell me what to do? "YES, I am!" "My, we have quite the edgy guy here… ***giggle***" "Save your foolish babbling…! Your only means of escape has been blocked off, I have acquaintances there at watch. Even if you eliminate me... you'll still be unable to escape from the island!" "Are you sure about that? There's a clear reason why I relegated myself here of all places, as risky as it may be..." I saw everything brighten up, she turned the lights on. "Behold, my getaway tool…" "Son of a…!" "Yes, Jace... this is a state-of-the-art hovercraft, I'll use it to speed past your companions… And, when I'm done with that, I'll be crossing the water at incredible speeds. You'll never catch me at that point! I would like to stay around and chat, but it's as they say, _"You don't get paid as a spy if you get caught"_. ***vroom!* **"NO, SHIT!" I tried to latch on to her, but I ended up stumbling and falling down instead. This caused my wound to open up more, making me feel more pain. "Gh- D-damn..." I decided to pull out the blade and bring out my emergency first aid kit, tending to it.

**Dave's POV**

"Hm? You guys hear something?" I asked. "It sounds like… an engine...?" Ringo trailed off, unsure. A few seconds came and gone then the sound approached quickly. "! Holy shit! Dave, Ringo, Draco, jump out of the way and duck down, NOW!" Ex exclaimed "Huh?!" We panicked. "Ringo, Ex and I successfully got away from the cellar door, but Draco wasn't so lucky. ***thud* **"ACK!" "***gasp*** DRACO!" I exclaimed. "! Oh no!" Ringo worried. "D-Draco, are you okay?!" I took one good look at her badly injured body. She was slammed by that floating vehicle, breaking bones and causing her to bleed. "Dear God, she's passed out… I can't believe this…!" Ex angrily gritted his teeth. "Grr… DAMN IT ALL! That must be the spy trying to get away… like hell I'll give her the chance to! Hiiiiiiii...RAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I screamed from Hell and back it seemed, having my anger get the better of me. I heard the deep voice, in my mind, that I heard roughly a month ago, when I first became the Demonic Dragon Warrior. "You want to stop her, correct?" "! It's you… Yes I do, give me the power to do just that!" I transformed into my dragon armor, which began to evolve into a stronger form. A full body suit of armor… From the outside, one would no longer see my body. Thanks to this new armor... not only did I feel bulkier, faster, and physically stronger, but I also had a curved blade to wield, as well as wings to fly with. "Oh my God!" Ex spat out, surprised. "! Whoa, what the hell? I feel so tall and… powerful." I also noticed that my own voice was modulated a bit and sounded echoey. "! Dave… Anyway, get her before she can't be seen anymore!" He implored me. "Right!" I replied. I didn't know how to fly though, so it took me a little to get my wings flapping correctly. "Alright, I got the hang of this… sort of. Ringo and Ex, stay here and call for medical help, I'll get this bitch, and she'll REGRET hurting Draco like this!" "Hold on Dave, I'm coming with you. I can make myself float in the air." Ex pleaded. "You might get yourself hurt… are you sure about this?" I asked him. He nodded, signaling that he was ready to go. "Who do you think I am? I was formerly the keeper of dimensions "Alright then Ex, let's take this spy into custody!" We flew off, going for a high-speed chase, and homing in on Spy Gal-atea. I raised up my voice so that she could hear me coming. "Spy Gal-atea! You won't get away from us, not what after you've done to Draco!" "Oh, you mean that girl that I slammed into? Well sorry stranger, she was… In. My. Way! Oh yeah, Jace has also succumbed to my assault, he's currently injured in that cellar, all alone." She said to me. "You bitch!" I yelled. "By the way, what is that you're wearing? And more importantly, who are you, and how are you flying?" "Hmph, it's seems that you don't know… I thought your group was interested in me. I am the young man known simply as Dave! I'm no ordinary human you see, I possess supernatural strength. This armor is quite tough, it was newly formed thanks to you bashing Draco. I became angry from that action, and I decided to let that feeling flow throughout my body, channeling it as energy. Also, you're not the first criminal that I've pursued…" "! Y-you had Dioge arrested!" "Ah, so you know then, maybe that's why your superiors were so fixated on me for some time. Whoever they are, they won't stay unknown for long. As soon as the national authorities know what transpired here, they'll persistently search around until this main base is found. However, the time for talk is over, you're coming with us whether you like it or not! I'd also advise not resisting, I could kill you one hundred times over if I wanted to... but killing is not on my agenda, unlike Spy Queen's." I stated my words clearly. "Bastard… DIIIIIIIIIE!" She screamed. "Watch out Dave, she wants you dead!" Ex reminded me, while falling behind in distance. She grabbed two machine guns from a bag and began shooting an entire round from each at me. The fired shots merely bounced off of my armor, unable to even dent it. "... Was that supposed to kill me, or to tickle?" I sarcastically wondered with a serious voice. "W-what the hell is this? Y-you're… A FUCKING MONSTER!" She fired more bullets at my helmet, none of them made so much as a scratch on me. "Don't you get it yet? You are just a normal human with no sort of magic, or anything really. No… the only trait that separates you from a normal human is a sinful nature. You are but a petty individual that relies on tricks, deception, and wicked intentions to get what you want." I lectured. "And that goes double for your partner as well, she's cuffed up as we speak!" Ex added. "Come, make this easier for everyone and come with us quietly." I told her. "NO! Me and my partner have came too far to give up now!" She yelled at me. "Fine! You give me no choice, I'll knock you out before you even realize it!" "N-No… STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Ex grabbed on to the spy from behind. "Do it now, Dave!" He signaled. "What?! LET GO OF ME!" "Claw of Shadows!" "GYAAH!" I slashed the spy's chest and she passed out. I grabbed her body as the hovercraft flew off without its driver. It crashed on a nearby island, causing it to explode, and fire had spread itself to plants and trees. "Dave, you did it, you have caught two more criminals and saved Draco on top of that." "Yes Ex… but it came at the cost of a couple of casualties. It's okay though, everybody that we care about is still alive. Let's go back to the resort, I'm sure that Ringo needs my company." "Yes… let us return."

We flew back to Ringo, who is now accompanied with all our friends. "Wait, is that Dave?" Schezo wondered, squinting his eyes to look at me. "That must be him, Schezo... he's with Ex." Arle assumed. I deactivated my dragon armor, and my friends smiled. I also saw Jace leaning by the cellar door, just as awestruck by my armor as my friends were. "***pant* *pant* **That new armor took a lot out of me…" I said breathily before placing Spy Gal-atea's body down and then laid down on the grass. "Dude, what was that?" Lemres asked me. "You mean my armor? It powered up from my anger, all after Draco was hit…" I explained. "Dave, I'm proud of you…" Feil said. "Me too." Ringo followed. "Heh… I think everyone here is proud of my contribution. However, I do have to thank Ex for helping me get this spy… from the bottom of my heart." I said. "It's only natural, since you helped me... I wanted to return the favor in some way." He smiled, holding out his hand to help me up. "You're a true friend, Ex... kind and whatnot." I smiled back. I stood back up, stretching my muscles. "Ough… I need some rest after that… So, is Draco going to be fine?" I wondered. "Don't worry, Dave... the infirmary is care-taking your friend as we speak." A familiar voice said. "Ms. Accord?" "As chaperone of this trip, there was no way that I would leave somebody else injured. I found out thanks to Ms. Ando, she had a bit of trouble carrying her to medical help." Accord said. "I see, then I am grateful to you as one doing her job." I thanked her. "As I am as well… you know, it's been a while since we've had a talk. I want to know how you've been doing." Ex joined in. "***giggle*** Oh Mr. Ex, I would love to sit down and have a chat." "Um… it's not Mr. Ex, just Ex…" He said, feeling awkward. "That's just how she is a lot of the time, Ex... ... pay it no mind." I told him. "I heard that Dave, is there a problem with my habits?" Accord asked me with malice in her voice. "Uuuuuum, NOPE. No problems here whatsoever! Zip, zero, nada!" I spoke quickly in fear. "Anyway, I'll have that discussion with you then." Ex moved along with her. "Phew, I thought I was dead for sure…" I trailed. "D-Dave…" "Hm? Huh, Lidelle? What is it?" I asked her. "I-I hope that she is… alright…" She stuttered. "Lidelle, I'm sure she'll pull through her injuries. We just need to have some faith in her determination to live." I assured her. "O-okay…" She said. "Dave." A voice said. "Huh? Satan, what are you doing here?" I asked. "I watched the trial from the gallery, which by the way, you did wonderful. You as a boy, you possess strength, intelligence, and extraordinary emotions. However, I did hear of the unfortunate news. So Draco got slammed hard… damn." Satan spoke. "Yeah… even still though, we got both criminals who were responsible." I said. I saw Klug as he dashed over, worried. "Dave?!" "Oh Klug, I'm fine... we managed to get that spy, not without injuries though…" I frowned. "I know, I just went to see Draco, she's not doing well at all, her condition is getting worse." My eyes widen from his words, I did not know what to think. "What?! I need to get over there, show me the way." Klug nods and I follow. "W-wait for me!" Feli pleaded. Klug leads me to the infirmary, where Draco laid unconscious and bloodied. Ringo sat down beside her, depressed. "Never have I seen a worse sight… Doctor, how's the patient doing?" "Well, she's in a state of comatose, who knows when she'll wake up, if even at all…" My worst fear was settling in, a person that I cared about… on the verge of being lost forever. My eyes began to water, I couldn't hold the tears back. "... I have to do something about this. Doctor, I request that I stay by her for some time." I told them. They weren't sure why I would bother, but soon nodded to my wish. "What are you going to do Dave?" Klug asked. "Heh, even I'm not entirely sure, Klug… but I know that it's the only way." I replied. "Don't perform anything stupid in that case." Feli told me. Yeah, don't… Please…" Ringo pleaded. "Don't worry you two, I'll try not to, I just need some concentration…" I brushed Draco's hair away from her forehead and rested my hand. Closed my eyes to focus deeply on my wish. Suddenly after a minute or two, my mind became half conscious. Think of it like how a dolphin sleeps... One half of its brain is off doing something else, while the other is fully awake. It was a weird feeling to me, especially since this was my first time doing it. My half mind created a metaphysical version of me to roam around this black-colored place. I discovered new thoughts currently swirling around, some said stuff like _"Help me, someone… please."_ and _"I need you."_. Within those thoughts, I heard Draco's voice speaking them. "Draco? Where are you?" I didn't get a proper response, all that I received was more thoughts, presumingly from Draco. "I need to find her subconscious, where could it be?" I walked in a random direction until the thoughts sounded out louder. "!" Once I noticed, I ran in said direction for a while. "How big is this place?" I wondered. "She must have a lot of space in her mind…" After a bit more running, I saw her metaphysical form as well, but chained up and dangling from above. "! Draco…" I touched one of the chains in sadness, but then saw that it faded away as I did so. I realized from that moment what I had to do. I reached up to the other two chains and touched them. Draco's metaphysical form started to fall, so I caught her with my hands. Back onto the ground, I decided to shake her a little to see if she wakes up. "Damn, no good." It didn't work, but I wasn't about to give up, not after everything that I did for her. A single thought then came to me. "Hm… It worked in fictional stories, I might as well try at this point…" I kissed Draco's lips for as long as I could. As a miracle took place, she woke up. "Hm?!" "Huh? Draco! You're awake, oh thank God! You don't know how happy I am right now!" I smiled, hugging her tightly. "Dave! But uh… where are we?" "This is your mind, I managed to get inside with a new power of mine. I heard your thoughts as you were chained up unconsciously, pleading for help. You might not get all this stuff that I'm telling you, but the important thing is that your alive…" I said to her. We then saw a piercing light shine nearby. "This must be how we wake up from this, come on Draco, let's get back to living." "Okay!"

Entering in the light as we held hands, I became fully conscious again and I saw my friends and the infirmary. "Dave? Are you okay?" Ringo asked. "I'm more than okay, I'm ecstatic Ringo… She's back, look." I pointed. "***groan* **D-Dave…" Draco said, with a lack of energy. "Welcome back Draco, I've saved you yet again. How does that make you feel?" "G-great…" She weakly smiled. "Get rest, you'll certainly need it." After I said that, she took my word and slept soundly. My friends seemed to be left speechless in the aftermath of it all. "Let's leave her be guys, we needn't be here now. All we have to do is wait things out…" I told Ringo and Klug. We began walking back to the others when Klug started up a conversation. "Uh… Dave, what did you do? She was in a coma, but yet, you managed to bring her back to consciousness." I took a few seconds to come up with an answer. "To be honest, I don't quite fully understand it myself Klug… It was like… half of my mind entered into her's." I summed up. "I don't get that at all…" Klug sighed. "Me neither, but Draco's back with us, so I guess that's a good thing." Ringo said. "After all the shit that Draco has been through recently, she deserved relief from the pain. That will finally be a reality, thanks to me. Of course... Ringo… you helped me a great deal. Be as it may, I can't take all the credit. And, if it weren't for Jace... the truth would have been lost." I thought back. "So what did you see, hear, and feel in her mind, Dave?" Klug asked me. "... It was mostly a black void. I heard Draco's thoughts more as I delved deeper, specifically where I saw her. She was unresponsive at first, and was all chained up. When I went up and touched one of those chains, it dissipated into nothing. I freed her and she remained limp, so I kissed her. That seemed to her done the trick, because it woke her up from the coma." I explained. "Huh… so you two were metaphysical-like in her mind… I get it…" He realized. "Kind of, yeah…" I agreed. "I don't even know what the term _"metaphysical"_ even means…" Ringo pointed out. "Uh… how should I explain this? It kind of complex, and no, it has nothing to do with mathematics, Ringo." Klug tell her. He continues to whisper to her regarding that. "Ugh… I think my brain is going to explode…" She cringed. "He DID tell you that it was hard to understand in a nutshell…" I said. "Ah shut up…" She playfully worded. "Dave!" A voice hollered, it was Feli. "! Feli…!" I looked over to her. "I got lost when I tried following you to the infirmary." She said. "Oh, my apologies." I responded. "Anyway, is she okay?" She asked me, worried. "She'll be just fine, just needs rest. Knowing how big these injuries are, it'll take up almost the rest of the time that we have on the resort…" I figured. "Well that's good to hear." Feli smiled. We continued to walk back, occasionally saying funny things that lightened up our moods.

"Yo!" I looked up ahead to see that Lemres was standing around and waving to us. Schezo was with him, his face showing irritation and he left. "So, what about that girl?" The warlock asked me. "Draco's going to be okay, I got her out a coma." "I see, well I'm glad for that bein' the case, Dave." Lemres smiled as he looked over to Feli. "Feli? What's up?" "O-oh, nothing Lemres…" I noticed that she became uneasy, having her hands close to her chest. "Feli, if there's something wrong, you can talk about it with us… you don't have to hold it in." I gently patted her head to ease that uneasiness. "Well, remember when we went to that strip club, Dave?… I felt, and still feel bad about the time that me and Draco almost fought. The only reason why that didn't happen was because you stopped us. Frankly, it was pretty childish of me, plus I leapt at her… meaning to attack. This has shown me that it's not right to attack another person for such stupid reasons, being naive. I have learned that pain, no matter which form it comes in, can have lasting and damaging effects… whether it be physical or emotional. I want to apologize to Draco when she's better. I didn't realize how unfortunate she is to have constant issues circling around her. Before, she was one that I loathed… but now, I want her to be my friend. Someone that I can count on to help me with my problems, and of course, the other way around too. Also, having sex with you Dave, I now believe that in retrospect… it was too premature. I want say sorry to you too, for all of this… ***sniff* **can you forgive me? ***sob***" Feli wrapped her arms around my body as she cried, I did the same to her. "Feli… I… understand… it's okay. I've known you for a while now… I may not know what goes inside your head, but… I get what you want. I forgive you, you're more than just a friend to me. You are one I can trust to change for the better. And… I agree, I find it to be a good idea for you and Draco to start over at square one. I would love to see you two get along as companions. As for yourself, you have grown up… I think there's no more childish nature inside you. I'll be the happiest guy after you apologize to Draco. Now, do me a favor and smile dammit… Seeing you happy is all that I can ever ask of you. There's a saying that I was taught…_ "Even in the toughest and most brutal of sad times, you force the biggest smile that you can make, then push onward."_. I used that to pull through some of my most painful times…" I assured her. "! You… might be right… thank you for everything, Dave." Never before had I seen her in such relief, it was heartwarming. "Feli, I'm shocked that you have that kinda side to ya, it does bring tears to my eyes." Lemres admitted. "***sniff* **Ohohoho… Lemres, hold me. Dave is too kind to everyone that he considers a friend." Klug told him with teary eyes. "This is proof that you are just the sweetest guy Dave… that's why I love you." Ringo told me. I blushed at those very words as I stared at Feli, we realized that we looked ridiculous and laughed with positive energy. "Come one guys, let's go and have some fun again… And when Draco is all fixed up, she can start having fun with us too!" I jumped in excitement. "Well that's surely being optimistic…" Ringo pointed out. "Ringo, remember that I got this overwhelming optimism from Amitie… besides, it's a good thing." Me, Ringo, Feli, Lemres, and Klug went back to join with our friends. The rest of the trip went by quickly… Since then, those two spies were transported to not just a prison, but a maximum security facility. I figured that is was a good thing since the first half of our stay was slow. We continued to be happy, eat all the delicious food, and made discussions throughout the remaining days. On the last day that we stayed before we would leave, Draco was completely healed. "Ooooooh Dave, thank you for everything, I dunno how I could ever repay you!" She squeezed me tight in her arms. "Don't mention it, Draco... just be someone that I can turn to for help whenever." I said. "Alright, I can do that!" She replied, letting me go. "Hey, how about we go to the beach? We haven't gone there yet, shocking as it is." Ringo came into my view. "Oh, Ringo! Yeah, we can definitely do that, we leave tomorrow, so why not... It'll make a great memory for all of us, especially compared to what happened a few days ago…" I agreed. I asked around to see if anyone else was willing to go with us. With all the respect that I was given by basically everyone, they joined as a token of appreciation.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Things come full circle as Dave and all the people he has ever cared for, enjoy the time that they have left in the Puyo Isles. They do so by having the time of their lives at the beach. Next chapter, Chapter 18: A Fond Beach Memory.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: A Fond ****Beach Memory**

The beach awaited us in its wake. The bright as hell sun, the cool salt water, the hot and gritty sand… all of these aspects is what makes up a beach. I dressed into swim trunks, a shirt, and sandals, then went outside my room. Some of my friends waited for me. The girls didn't have a shirt on, just their bikinis. "Yo." Lemres greeted me. "Hey there, I can see that you're ready…" "Yep…" I heard grumbling nearby, it came from Schezo. "Do you EVER leave me alone?" He asked Arle, who was forcing him to come with us. "You need a time in the sun like the rest of us." She replied. "Wh-?! Arle! Have you forgotten WHO I am?! I am Schezo, the DARK mage! I don't go playing around in the sun. If you want to bring somebody with you, then take Rulue." Arle facepalmed at his words. "Schezo, she already agreed to be with us on her own terms. She likes the beach just as much as the rest of us, albeit, for different reasons. Anyway, girls will never like you if you don't have a decent tan…" "Arle, there's a reason why I hate going out in the sun, besides from being a dark mage… I like my skin color the way it is, plain and simple! So… stop making me go to these so called _"fun"_ places! A dark mage requires no fun, and I want it to be that way." Schezo was the only person that was unwilling to come with us, and it was like dealing with a child that is refusing to leave out of their own home. "***sigh* **That's why I know you as _"Dork Mage"_..." Feli commented. "Yeah…" Ringo agreed. "Hey! You are besmirching my honor, I don't take that lightly... so help me, I will fucking-!" Lemres saw Schezo pull out his sword and decided to do something about it. "Hold up! Dark Mage, come over here for a second. This'll assure you to come with us…" "***sigh*** What is it, Comet Warlock?" He whispered into Schezo's ear. " ***gasp* **No, you wouldn't…!" "Oh I will if you don't come with us." "Okay! Okay! I'll come, happy now?!" "Yeah, very happy…" We stood there confused, not knowing what was spoken to him. "So let's go to the beach now, yeah?" Lemres asked us. Schezo dashed away afterwards. "Don't worry, he's just goin' there right now." He explained. "Oh… I see…" I trailed. I did not know what was going on with those two, I had to find out. "Hey guys, I'm here… it me a little bit to get my bikini ready, considering my big…" Draco says before I cut her off. "Okay, I think we get it, Draco… hehehe. I laughed awkwardly. "Ooooh… I was getting to the juicy part of it all...! why didja ruin it, Dave?" She pouted. "Look, we're in public." I told her. "Even still!" "No… at least wait until the beach to tell us the rest of that difficulty you had." I advised. "***sigh* **Okay…" Klug meets up with us, as well as Amitie and Raffina. "Oh, it's Amitie!" Ringo smiled. "Hiya, Ringo! Wow… the color red really suits you." She told her. "Uh… thank you…?" She raised an eyebrow. "Amitie, how should I describe your suit, it looks… psychedelic…" I thought. "Psychedelic huh…? ...Hey! It makes me remember somebody that you haven't met before, Dave!" She realized. "R-really?" "Yeah! There's this guy named Oshare Bones, he's a skeleton. Don't worry though, he's not scary in the slightest, he's a shopkeeper back in Primp. Running a fashion store, he sells all sorts of clothing… and he's a bit of a critic in that instance." "I see…" I wondered for a second what kind of clothes he typical liked to wear, all before being snapped back into reality. "Dave, c'mon, we're going now!" Ringo grabbed my arm. "A-alright, Ringo…"

Before I could say anything else on my mind, we were on the beach's sand. "Ough… the sand's blister inducing… too hot…" I whined. "We will get used to it soon, Dave…" Klug said. "For our sakes... I hope you're right, Klug. At this rate, we'll be cooked like a goose." I used my hand as an umbrella to shield me eyes from the sun. "Ah, here's a good spot for us." Raffina said. Towels were laid on the sand and a huge umbrella became pitched in the center. "With that thing being the size that it is, it'll be difficult to get lost here." She explained. "Jesus, I've never seen one that big back in my world…" I stared. "D-Dave…" A voice called, behind me. "Hm? Oh, Lidelle! Aw… you look adorable in that…" "O-oh, you think so…?" "Sure I think so…" I was mesmerized by her cute swimsuit. "So… what are you going to do, Lidelle?" I asked her. "I-I'm planning on making sand castles with Big Sister." "Oh, with Draco? Say, are you two actually sisters? I'm just asking…" "N-no, I just look up to her. We may look similar, but we are not related." "Oh…" I was surprised that they weren't in the same family. "Hey, this is the first time that I'm seeing your arms and hands… they're usually blanketed by that green sweater of yours…" I noticed. "Yes, that's usually the case… I just love that sweater so much." She told me. Lidelle notices Draco lying down on her belly. "O-oh, Big Sister!" She ran toward her. "Huh? Oh hey there kid, didn't know that you would come here. What do ya want?" "I'll say it in her stead, Draco… she wants to build sand castles with you." "Is that so…? You have to do something for me first, Dave…" I raised an eyebrow. "Okay… what is it?" "Rub this suntan lotion on my body, there's a reason why I have untied my top…" "Wait… WHAT?!" I became flustered. "Kyah! Big Sister, what are you doing?!" Lidelle exclaimed. "You're not seriously using this as an excuse for me to fondle your breasts, are you?" I questioned "Oh I'm very serious about this, c'mon hotstuff… pleasure me." Draco pressured me, smiling. "Uuuuuuuum…" I paused. Then I saw Feli nearby, lying down in the same position. "Dave, what about me? Don't let her have all the fun…" "Come on, not you too!" My face became as red as a brick from these two. I wasn't uncomfortable with the fact that I would see and feel their breasts, but rather… we were in the public's viewpoint. If any normal person sees what I'm doing with them, they would go ape-shit. These people would think that I'm a rapist. With that in mind, there was no way in hell that I was going to go along with this. I dashed toward the ocean to dive in and cool off. "HEY! Where the hell do you think you're going?! Come back here, Dave!" Draco yelled. "I'm so sorry, Draco! I really am, but I'm not going to be seen by other people while I do _"that" _for you!" ***splash* **I kept swimming straight ahead for a while, until I was barely able to see the beach behind me. "***pant pant* *sigh* **That was nuts… At least I'm able to think clearly. I feel so bad though, I deserted Lidelle when she wanted to make sand castles with Draco. And… I dunno how Feli feels right now. Just when this day was going to be special, one thing fucks everything up… damn. The next thing I know, I swam like three miles to the point in the ocean. I can't believe this shit… huh?" I felt a weird change in the ocean, the water started to become rougher. Then, I saw a tidal wave coming in. "Uh oh, I better get back to the shore!" I started to swim as fast as my limbs could move, but the wave was catching up me quickly. "Shit! Aaaaaa-bububu!" I was swept up it and ended up underwater. Unable to find the strength to get back above, I slowly pass out from a lack of oxygen.

**Lidelle's POV**

I watched as Dave zipped into the water, and I didn't see him come back after forty-five minutes passed. "D-Dave…" I stuttered. "***sigh* **I prolly shouldn't have done that… he's possibly far out in the ocean by now." Big Sister said. "Nevermind about that Draco, we need to find him." Arle said. "Yeah, I'm worried…" Ringo followed. "B-Big Sister, can you fly over the ocean to see if he is drifting?" I asked her. "Sure, I was gonna do that anyway." She responded as she flew. "How about the rest of us search for him on foot?" Lemres suggested. "***yawn* **Finally, something worth my time, a little anyway." Schezo stretched. Suddenly, I heard a loud bark from a distance… a large dog was heading toward Feli. "B-Bal? What are you doing here?" She asked him. "***pant pant***... ***bark***" Schezo stood there, not believing his eyes. "Wow, I wished that I had a dog like him." "Bal… hey, maybe you can help me, be a good boy and smell that." Feli tells the dog to sniff the footprints that were left behind by Dave. "***sniff* *continued sniffing* **?! ***bark***" "Did you get the scent, Bal?" "***bark***" The dog proceeds to sprint. "For his size, he sure does get around." Schezo brought up. "Alright… yeah let's go guys… except for you Lidelle, you might get hurt, stay with Raffina." Lemres said. "O-okay…" I watched them run as they try and keep up with the dog. "It's alright, Lidelle... I'll keep you company. Tell you what... I'll build sand castles with you, since Draco couldn't." She told me. "Th-thank you, Raffina…" I smiled. We had a good time with one another. We talked and laughed, heck, I didn't even stutter when talking to her. I guess I was just that happy and carefree. But then, trouble arose when I least expected it. Me and Raffina saw three strong looking guys standing next to us. "Wow those are some pretty dorky castle you got there, allow us to put 'em out of their misery." I flinched, as they destroyed both of our castles. I started to cry seeing the result of their stupid destruction. "***sniff* *sob* **Wh-why would you do that?" "Oh boo hoo! Look here boys, the little girl's cryin'." Raffina stepped in, angry. "What the hell is you problem?! You had no business being around us and ruining our fun!" "Lass, I don't think you realize who we are... We're ruthless beach boys, we bring shitty days to unfortunate girls. We have fun by ruining the beach days for 'em." We couldn't believe it, these jerks do nothing but bully girls. "Your face looks so punch-worthy right now…" The one guy punched me hard and and had me land face-first in the sand. "Ow!" "Grr… YOU..." Raffina's face became red and she fired her own punch at him. "Oof!" He staggered back a little. "You little bitch, you mangled my mug… now you two are dead!" "Impossible, I barely dented him..." She trailed, frustrated. "Let's see how YOU fair against my punching. Rrrrrrrrr…!" "! Gyah!" "R-Raffina!" I started to run toward her, but something got my leg. "Ah!" "Oh no, we're not gonna let you get away…" "S-stop, please let me go… I-I never did anything to you!" I cried. "Doesn't matter, your friend did something that I hate the most… ruinin' my perfect mug."

**Ex's POV**

"Ah, this is the life… I haven't gotten to sunbathe on a beach like this in years… Hm?" I hear a scuffle off a little bit in the distance. "What is it, Captain?" Tee asked me. "Tee, I'll be back, something doesn't feel right to me…" "Okay, I'll stay here then." "Thanks, Tee." I went off into the direction of where I heard the scuffle. I saw it and couldn't believe it… Three guys bullying two girls, one small girl in particular. She had green hair, two horns, and large ears. She was being dragged away from who I assumed to be her friend… with the most miserable face that I've ever seen. My mind went blank for a moment, then I began to seethe with immeasurable rage. "That's it! I have to do something about this!" I ran over to one of the girls. "Hey, can you say something? What happened?" I asked. "Hey… you're that judge from the trial." The girl said. "Yes I am, but please explain everything to me…" I requested. This girl was named Raffina, as I found out. I learned that she and her friend Lidelle were minding their own business with making sand castles and having fun, until those guys showed. I also realized that these two girls were students of Accord's. She mentioned them to me a bit in the past. I wanted to stop the guys as soon as possible so I told Raffina to stay where she was. I promised her that I would protect Lidelle from these douchebags. "Hey, you three!" I yelled. "What now…? An old man?" "I'm not an old man you idiot, let go of the girl get out of here! This place has no need for ruffians like yourselves." "Ha, what makes you think that we'll listen to you?" You're weak compared to us." He was wrong, they had no power compared to me. "Alright... you asked for it, unforgivable pieces of shit! Rrrrrrraaaaaah!" I launched a powerful attack at them. "What the-?!" The guy, blissfully unaware, had let Lidelle go as he and the other two panicked. She took off running as those idiots didn't know what to do. They flew up high into the air and plummeted toward the ocean. I brushed up my hands as a sign of mission accomplished. "Well, that takes care of them…" I finally ease up as I came up to the girl. "Are you and your friend okay, Lidelle?" "H-how do you know my name? … Wait… you're that judge, right?" "Yeah." "Wh-what's your name? I never caught it…" I paused briefly to breathe in. "My name is Ex, I happen to be an acquaintance of Ms. Accord." "O-oh really? Either way, thank you so much, Mr. Ex!" She went in to hug me tight. "Um, it's just Ex, but okay…" Even I wouldn't deny, this girl was just about as adorable as my daughter. "Ooooh…" Raffina groaned. "Oh! Raffina, I'm coming!" "Hey… are they gone?" "Yes my friend, Mr. Ex took care of them." "I already told you, Lidelle... it's just- oh nevermind…" The girl stumbled a little before getting up. "Okay… I'm fine now. So, Ex was it? I appreciate you coming in our time of need." Raffina smiled. "Don't mention it, I'm just a nice guy. If there's ever anything you two need help with, don't hesitate." I told them. "W-well about that…" "About what, Lidelle?" "Y-you see, it's about Dave…" I raised an eyebrow as I heard that being said. "Dave? What kind of trouble has he gotten himself into now?" I listened to the story that these two had to tell me. "... Well… I mean… I can't exactly blame Dave in this situation. I can see how awkward he must've felt. Man, I don't even know how to feel about all of this…" I said. "Well... Mr. Ex, do you think that you can help find him?" "I'll do it, he's my friend after all. You two have a safe time alright?" I waved. The two nodded and I turned around to go back to Tee.

"Tee, we now must do something urgent, fire up the Tetra!" I ordered him. "C-Captain?!" "I'll explain later, I have to gather the rest of the crew." I came back into the Tetra and changed into my normal clothing. I proceeded to get Ai, Zed, Ess, O, Jay, and Elle ready, Tee joins soon enough. "So what is it that you want us to do, Captain?" He asked me. "We're looking for Dave, he went far out into the ocean here. No one knows whether he's okay or not. His friends are looking for him, but I feel like that it won't be enough. Hence why… I have gathered you all here today." I announced. "But Captain, it's an ocean. It might take ages to find him." Ai told me. "Normally yes, that would be the case, however… there's a special function on the Tetra that even you don't know about, Ai." "What? But that's impossible, I know this ship's design inside and out…" "Behold, this ship can modify itself into a submarine by pressing this cryptic button here." Ai was shocked at this. "That's funny, when was that made into the ship?" "Before you were in the crew, Ai." "Hm… No wonder…" Tee drove the Tetra around the beach. "Where do you want me to go, Captain?" He asked me. "Slightly above the ocean's surface." "Okay." We soon reached it and I decided to press that button. "Here we go… Tetra... transform!" The ship transformed, in doing so, it lost the ability to float in the air. In turn though, we were able to search underwater. "Well I'm sure this will be different then what you are used to… The last time that I used this function was when I was with my wife." I elaborated. "You have a wife?" Tee questioned. "Had, Tee. She's gone now…" "What do you mean? ...Captain?" I paused, feeling gloomy for a moment. "***sigh* **Let me tell you all a quick story… It was long ago, me and her were out on a romantic trip… just the two of us. Then as fate would have it, disaster struck. The Tetra was under attack from an unknown enemy, and a hole was made right where she stood. She was being sucked into the empty void of space, hanging on for dear life… She called out for me and I grabbed her hand, but the force was too strong. Before I knew it, she slipped away and I never saw her again. Ever since that moment, I wasn't able to forgive myself for failing on my wife. I cried and lamented for days after, then that's when I decided to construct Zed. The rest of the story, you should know already…" Tee was standing there, not sure what to say. "I-I feel sorry for you then… You were in more emotional pain than I initially thought." Ess came into the conversation. "So is she dead then…?" I paused for a couple of seconds before saying anything more. "Most likely, but my heart wants to believe that she is still alive somehow…" We all stayed silent for a while, not saying anything.

**Draco's POV**

I kept flying around for a while, trying to find my sweetheart… but I didn't see anything drifting on the ocean's surface. "Shit, what a pain in my ass… as well as my wings. Where can he be?" My wings began to feel wasted, however, I couldn't give up. I had to find him, if at all possible. In the distance, I see the others on the edge of the shore. "I see, so they haven't found him either." I found it to be frustrating, all I wanted was my boobs to be groped by Dave. "Ugh, that idiot… Ugh, who am I kidding? This is all my fault..."

**Dave's POV**

I regained consciousness, but realized that I was still deep in the ocean. "What's going on? I should be dead by now…" I said to myself. "! I can talk clearly underwater too… this is unusual." I hear a voice soon after, it was a girl's. "Oh you're awake, thank Poseidon for that!" "Hm? Wh-who are you?" I looked at the girl for a second, she had a tail instead of legs. "My name is Serilly, I saved you from drowning." "A-are you a mermaid? … And, what did you do to me?" "Yes I am one… I used some of my magic to make it so that you were able to breathe underwater for a couple of hours. So, you now tell me who you are…" She smiled. "Uh, I'm Dave, nice to meet you, Serilly." "Where did you come from, Dave?" "Well, it would be difficult without showing you first. Although, I might have gone through a great distance while I was passed out." "I see, so basically… you're lost." "Pretty much…" "Can you give me a location name? I might be able to get you back to civilization." I thought about it and decided to tell her. "Do you know of a group of islands called the Puyo Isles? The biggest island was where I drifted from." "I do actually, I can take you there. I know where to go, so you'll be back in no time." "Really?! Oh thank you, Serilly! I have friends that are probably worried about me at this moment." She grabbed my hand. "Hold in tight then, we have to hurry... otherwise that magic will wear off." "Alrighty then…" Serilly swam like how a jet flew in the sky. I was impressed with the speed, her body wasn't all that big. She was about the size of Ringo, maybe a little shorter in length. A few minutes later, we saw a huge and dark figure travel by. Upon closer looks, I figured out what it was. "The Tetra, what's that doing here?" "You know that thing?" "I do, and I think I've been rescued by some of my friends. Goodbye Serilly, it was nice meeting you after saving my life. Maybe we can see each other again…" "Yeah, for sure, Dave! Bye!" We waved to each other before I turned around and swam near the Tetra. A hatch opened up, and I entered inside. I breathed in air for relief and shot out of the water. "Dave! I can't believe that we found each other out here." A voice ringed. It was Ex's, and I was delighted. "You were looking for me?" I wondered. "Yes, with the entire crew as well. It took us a while, but we found you. I can see that you have made a new friend after you almost drowned…" He smiled. "Yeah… Oh hey Tee, I almost didn't see you there." "Dave, I am also glad that you're okay. You seem to be a magnet for trouble, especially recently…" "That's true." Ex tells me something that I wanted to hear. "Ess is taking us back to the island… Oh yeah, you might get a cold from that water if you don't warm up… here's a towel." "Thank you, Ex." "Don't mention it, you are my friend, in fact… you have been shaping up to be one of my closest…" I smiled at his words, he was seriously one of the kindest people I ever had the pleasure of meeting. I dried myself off and met up with the crew. "Hey, it's Dave!" Elle said, excited. "Oh great…" Ess scoffed. "***sigh* **Are you STILL mad at me, Ess?" "Of course I am, you can be such a dick at times!" "I wasn't even looking at you at that time!" "You can say whatever you want, but it's not gonna change what I believe… Now, if you can excuse me, I need to bring this back ship to the island, all because of your stupid ass!" "I won't deny, what I did today was kind of stupid... but you can't possibly blame me for it!" "Tch." "Ess, come on…" "NO!" Ex interrupts our bickering. "Enough! Ess, apologize to Dave." "But... Papa!" "But nothing, he is an honest guy… Besides, what has passed is past, forget about it." Ess looked a bit remorseful for her rudeness after Ex had his say. "***sigh* **I'm sorry, Dave. Sometimes... I'm too much of a bitch for my own good." "There, see? That wasn't so hard now, was it?" He patted her head. "Captain, should it be time to turn this back into the starship that we know it as?" Tee asked him. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot… Tetra, transform!" Just like that we floated out from the water, and into the air.

**Feli's POV**

We had no luck with finding Dave, even with Bal by our side. "Ugh, I'm tired…" I whined. "Yeah, I give up." Lemres agreed. "Hm? What is this energy I feel? ! It's Dave! I know that it's him!" Schezo stated. "Really?!" Arle questioned in shock. "Where's that energy going, Dork Mage?" "It's DARK Mage, you idiotic-! A-anyway, it's heading back to the spot that we claimed on the beach." He told us. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get back there then… hm? Hold on, where's Draco?" Ringo asked. "I see her guys, up there. Hey Draco, this guy thinks he knows where Dave is!" I called for her. "Oh really? Finally… my wings were exhausted…" She slowly floats down to the ground. We ran all the way back to our spot as we saw a ship nearby. Then, I saw him, my love… Dave.

**Dave's POV**

"Hm? Oh guys! I'm okay, thanks to Ex. Why's there a dog here now?" "Oh Dave, this dog here is mine, his name is Baldanders, but I just call him Bal." Feli elaborated. "Well then, hi there Baldanders…" I patted his head, and in turn, he nudged it to me. "Aw… I think he likes me…" Baldanders proceeds to bark friendly at me. "D-Dave…" Lidelle mumbled. "Lidelle… wait… Why are you bruised up?" "I'll explain it to you, Dave…" Ex stepped toward me. "Ex? What happened here before you came and found me?" I found out that these guys were bullying her and Raffina, just because they wanted to. "Thankfully, I gave them penance for their actions." He assured me. "Good thing you came to the rescue… I have to thank you again." I said. "Hey, when there's trouble, I snuff out its flame." He said. "Dave… I'm sorry about earlier, I should've taken into account other people around us…" Draco apologized. "It's okay, Draco… really, it is. I forgive you." "Me too, Dave?" "Yes, you too, Feli…" I hugged both of them. "Hey, we still have time, how about we play in the water?" Ringo asked us. "Sure, Ringo…" I responded. The other girls nodded their heads, as well as Lemres. "Well, have fun then guys, I'll be taking off now. Ex told us. We jumped in, except for Lidelle. "What's wrong?" I asked her. "W-well, I was never taught how to swim…" "Huh… okay then… how about this then?" For that time, I tried teaching her. I would say that I sucked at it, but she was a fast learner. "Wow, I didn't expect you to get this good so quickly! Good job, Lidelle!" "Th-thank you, Dave…" And so, we joined up with the rest to have a time of our lives that we would never forget. The sun began to set as we came back to the shore. "Oh my God, that was so much fun!" Amitie expressed. "You seem to be enjoying yourselves just fine…" Schezo frowned. "Come on man, lighten up at least a little." I said. "Dave, just leave him alone, he's a party pooper." Arle told me. I shrugged and looked back at the sunset. "It's beautiful…" I smiled. "Dave, how about we all take a picture under this view." "Absolutely Ringo, I would like that…" "Okay then, I'll get my phone." She comes back a minute later with it. "Okay, so who wants to be in the photo?" She asked. I raised my hand, Baldanders made his own paw gesture, and everyone else raised their hand as well, except for Schezo, who seemed to not care. "Well then, looks like you'll have to take it since you seem to be camera-shy." "No I'm not! I just don't want to be in it… ***sigh* **Alright, I'll take it, everyone... get into position… Um… how does this thing work?" He wondered. "Just press the very middle button when you are ready." "Oh… okay. Lining up… On a count of three guys, one… two… three." We saw a flash from Ringo's phone. "Thank you, now let's see how it turned out…" Schezo hands Ringo back her phone. "This is great, look guys!" The photo turned out better than we hoped. "This is proof that we are all friends…" I said. "Yep, best friends forever!" Amitie hollered, overjoyed. With an abundant amount of smiles filling our group up, we left the beach.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends enjoy their day at the beach, despite inconveniences. The group spends the last night of the trip, relaxing in the comfort of their rooms. Just to let you, the readers know ahead of time as a warning... the next chapter will be quite short, but graphic. Next chapter, Chapter 19: Final Night.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:** **Final Night**

The day at the beach was so much fun, the most that I had with friends for years in fact. Me and Ringo bathed together, and prepared for bed. But then, we heard a noise coming from the door. ***knock knock* **"Who can be at our door at this time?" I asked. Ringo shrugged as I went to open the door. We saw two familiar faces standing there. "Draco? Feli? Why are you two here?" Ringo wondered. "Yeah, why?" I followed. "Well, we decided together that we should be in there with you guys for tonight." Feli explained. "Yeah, for one special reason…" Draco said as she rubbed her finger against my chin. "Oh, I get it… come right in then." I smiled. "Um Dave, what if somebody finds out about this? We'll be in HUGE trouble in that case." She wondered in concern. "Ringo, don't sweat it, we just won't be so loud, and no one will ever know." I said. "If you insist…" She gives up. "At this point... Draco and Feli, anything that comes out of our mouths will be hushed, understand?" I made them aware. They nod to my words and we were ready to take pleasure for this night. "Hm… let's see here, how should we start this sexy session off?" Draco asked curiously. "Ah yes… how about kissing each other in love?" We went along with that idea and it was the spark of a quiet, but yet, explosive night. "You girls… all three of you have very luscious lips…" I complimented. They were all clingy, kissing and rubbing their bodies against me. This got me hard, slowly but surely. "Well would you ya look at that? About time…" Draco smirked. "I think that it's time to take off our clothes…" Feli thought. "Agreed." Ringo said. I nod and we stripped down into nothing. "Oh yeah, look at that work of art… it's throbbing and everything." Draco stared. "It wants to squirt out that delicious semen…" Feli pointed out. "I wonder how tasty it really is…" Draco looked forward to. "Well Draco, were about to find that out together. Feli's the only one out of the three of us that has tasted semen before." Ringo responded. "Lemme just get it good and wet…" Feli started to suck on it. "Ahh… it feels good…" I trailed. After about a minute Ringo demanded something. "Alright let's all get onto the bed, Dave… lie down on your back." I did what I was told, and she put her back against my chest. "Time to insert this shit into me…" She said. She grabbed my dick with her free hand and slid it inside her pussy. "Ah… this is incredible!" She yelped. I kept barebacking Ringo for a couple of minutes. While that was happening, Feli and Draco were eating each other out. "Oh my God, I'm gonna… I'm gonna come…! Ahhh…." "Ringo, I can feel that inside you… ***pant*** ...now my cock's even wetter than before." She stood up, taking my extremely wet penis out of her. "Draco, look at that just dripping from her…" Feli said. "Yeah… it may not be semen, but it's still come." The two licked the stuff off from Ringo, to which she moaned. "My turn, Dave…" Feli insisted. I had her go on her knees in the bed and then started banging her. Ringo was recovering from her climax, just lying down, panting. Draco fingered herself, waiting to be banged next. "D-Dave… ***pant* **let me turn around, and pick me up. I'll wrap my arms and legs around your body, then you can fuck me real deep." She smiled. I complied with her request, this way, we could also kiss as well. A few minutes later, her body gave in. "Fuck, I'm coming!" I decided to put her down on the bed right next to Ringo. "C'mon Draco, you want it, don't you?" I psyched her up. "Yes, come to me." Draco grinned. "Penetrate me from behind while we're on our sides." She continued. I pushed on inside her. "Oh yeeeeeeah… this is perfect, fuck me…" And so I did for a couple of minutes until Draco gave in. "Ooooooh, here it comes…!" She came and I was almost ready to come as well. "Get ready girls, I'm blowing my load…" They scrambled to be in front of me. "Draco, I'll launch the stuff into your mouth, but don't swallow it… share it with the other girls." I told her. "Riiiight…" She responded. "Oh shit, Draco… open up wide…!" "Ah…." She got to taste the stuff, and then transferred it to Ringo and Feli by kissing them. "Oh my God, semen is the best…" Draco praised after consuming her portion. "It sure is great…" Ringo agreed. "Just as good as before." Feli added. "Oh there's some still leaking from me, anyone?" I asked the three. "I can't get enough of this shit…" Draco licked. The girls realized that their faces were dirty and wanted to clean up, so I let them. After all was said and done, we all put our clothes back on and slept together. Snuggled in tight, we enjoy each other, sleeping soundly. Of course, I was in the very middle of that huddle. Draco was on top of me with her arms around my neck. Ringo and Feli were beside me, each cuddling one of my arms. Top this all off with a blanket, and this was very luxurious. And so, we all fell asleep, into our own dreams.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** **Dave and the girls have sex in his resort room, bringing maximum pleasure to the late-night table. This served as a way to end things off from the Puyo Isles for them. Next morning, they are to be sent off to home, along with their friends. Next chapter, Chapter 20: Home Sweet Home. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: Home ****Sweet Home**

Morning came and I opened my eyes to a serene sight, the girls were already awake. They wrapped around me and giggled slightly in unison. I smiled as they stayed with me during that night. "Good morning sleepyhead…" Ringo said softly. "Good morning Ringo, Feli, and Draco… are you ready to go back home?" They paused for a few seconds before they said together one word. "Yeah…" We dressed up and fixed the room so that it was in the condition it was before this trip started. Me and Ringo grabbed our things, then we all left. Exiting the room, everybody was out of their rooms as well. However, they were suspicious of us as we exited. "Dave… what's going on…?" Arle questioned me. I, as well as my loved ones, became flustered. "Uuuuuuum… well…" I stumbled. "I see, so you four were doing _"naughty"_ things in that room last night…" A familiar voice spoke. "HUH?!" The others exclaimed as we stood still. "M-M-Ms. Accord?!" I stuttered. "I'm afraid that's not going to bode well on my record, all thanks to your sexual activity…" She frowned slightly. "Um… sorry…?" I pleaded to her, pitifully. "You know that's not how it works, you can't expect me to simply forgive you. Not in this setting anyway, because I am your chaperone and teacher. It looks like I will give you all a punishment when we return to Primp Town…" She proposed. "WE'RE SORRY!" We exclaimed. Draco and Feli proceeded to fetch their own things quickly. After that was taken care of, we went outside and waited for the special vehicle to come. It didn't take that long, only about fifteen minutes. I assumed that it moved itself over here ahead of time. "Alright everyone, let's go home." Accord said. Into the special vehicle, we traveled through a portal. Throughout the trip back, no one person said anything at all for a while… this was until Amitie spoke. "So, um… Dave?" "Y-yeah, Amitie? What is it?" "Did you really have… with more than one girl last night?" "***sigh* **Yes, Amitie… that is the truth… The fact is, I love Ringo, Feli, and Draco equally for different reasons." I told her. "Dave, I'm even more jealous of you than I was before. How did you get THREE girls to fawn over you... when you aren't even that special…?!" Schezo questioned me. "What did you say?! Schezo, how am I not special? I saved one of the girls twice, and the other two fell in love with me because of how nice and awesome I am." "Tch, whatever… No matter how special you think you are, I'm NOT on that bandwagon." He said. "Schezo, why do you have to be so mean?" Arle asked him. "Arle, there's a fine line between criticizing someone, and just being mean to them. I am only giving him my honest and biased opinion." "Sure… believe in whatever analytical crap you want, I still don't think that it's right…" She gave up. "E-even though Dave did a dirty thing with those girls, including Big Sister, I don't hate him…" Lidelle spoke her mind. "L-Lidelle…" I stuttered. "What do you mean, Lidelle?" Raffina asked her. "W-well, if he truly does care for those three… th-then why should we scrutinize him when he does good things for them out of love?" She emphasized. Everybody for the most part seemed to agree with her words. "I say, if Dave is doing this because of love, then let him do so. Taking away that love will only make him upset, and that goes for the girls as well."Risukuma added. "Ris…" Ringo stared at her best friend with happiness in her eyes. "Ringo, Dave is my friend too... I want to support his well-being in any way I can, especially ever since that incident with Maguro…" He continued. "Yeah… thank you so much, Risukuma…. And Lidelle, you too." I bowed my head. "It's funny Dave, you remind me so much of Maguro, except you don't play video games, instead, you have a strong knack for justice… and protecting the weak." Risukuma told me. "Wait, Maguro played games? I played plenty back in my world… I wonder... if Maguro never did what made me loathe him, could we have been one-of-a-kind pair of friends?" I thought. "Yeah he did, I was personally never really into them myself, but I could tell that he had a passion for playing." Ringo reminisced. "I just wished that we would've continued to be childhood friends…" Ringo said, saddened. "Ringo, remember what I told you before, it's not good to keep indulging yourself to the past like this. No matter how tough it may be to let go of, you need to focus on the present and future. Life will always test your spirit, physically and emotionally. One thing that I learned after all this time being with you, and everyone else, is to never give up. Even when all hope seems lost, there's always a glimmer of light that'll shine deep within a dark abyss. You need to teach yourself that you must push onward, no matter what. You do this until you draw your very last breath… and take pride in the life that you DID live through. Do you understand me? Life comes and goes as it pleases, you must adapt and cope with it until death latches on. I know that it is a frightening thought, however, you have the power to control your OWN destiny… I can feel it. I don't have to be there to create one for you… That goes for the rest of you too, including you… Schezo."

Everyone became speechless from my words, even Schezo, where he dropped his sword. For a solid minute, this silence remained. "Dave… that was so poetic…" Feli spoke. "Look at 'chu man, bringin' in words of wisdom to us." Lemres smiled. "Hm… It looks like I'll have to rescind my punishment. I have never had such a charismatic pupil with such a way with words before…" Accord told us. "What? You mean it, Ms. Accord…?" I questioned. "Yes, anyone who can make up a monologue like that one, I give respect to. You sound like you are truly an adult who is mature." She replied. "Honestly, I don't know what to think… you're too kind." I said. "***giggle* **Oh, you needn't to say something like that, especially when you are blushing like a girl." She pointed out. "Come on, I'm not feminine!" I covered my face. Everyone began to chuckle at the silliness. Before I knew it, I chuckled along with them. From then on, that trip back home was filled with conversations. Everything was back to normal, my friends and I enjoyed this time to the most. A hole opened up eventually and the special vehicle flew through it. We were finally back in Primp Town, at the stop that we started with before going to the Puyo Isles. I stretched out as we exited the vehicle. "Mmm… it's good to be back…" Accord exited last and told us an important tidbit. "All of you who normally would have school at this time, this is your day off, so you can all go home and prepare to come back tomorrow." We took that into face value and smiled at that news. "Looks like we can go back home in Suzuran right now if we wanted to, Ringo and Ris." I said. "Hey Dave... looks like we won't see each other for a little while…" Draco frowned. I realized that and I lost my smile. "Oh… well then… I'm sure we'll find a way to… to more easily be together…" I stopped my words. Draco squeezed me for that time, and I did the same. "Goodbye Dave, I promise that I'll be with you all the time in the future." She said, before flying off. "And there she goes…" Feli trailed. I sighed and waved to all my comrades who lived in Primp Town before leaving with Ringo and Risukuma through a portal.

Suzuran was in sight, out the portal, and we were back. Me and Ringo said goodbye to Risukuma, and left on our separate ways. "Dave, I'll never forget the time that we all had there…" "Me neither Ringo… however, for once... I kinda miss school. As much of a pain in the ass it can be, it'll break up the monotony for a while." We both smiled at each other and then she held my hand. I blushed in surprise at first, but then accepted it as we approached Ringo's home. "C'mon, let's go inside and see my family." I nod to her and she opens the door. I looked inside to see that Ms. Ando realized our presence and smiled. "Well, welcome back you two... how did you like being in the Puyo Isles?" She stood up from a chair. "It was great! Mom, you should've seen it for yourself… it was beautiful." Ringo replied. "I'm sure it was… So Dave, what about you?" She wondered. "I loved it, I got to be with all of my friends, doing activities together. We talked, laughed, and played throughout... I wouldn't have had it any other way." I said. "That's wonderful, I'm happy for you." She smiled on. "Hm? Hey Mom, where's Dad?" Ringo asked. "Oh… Well Ringo, your father is on a business trip right now." Ms. Ando explained. "Huh? You didn't tell me about anything of the sort…" "Sorry my child, it just came up so suddenly around the middle of your time in those isles…" Ms. Ando's smile faded. "You're not sad about that, are you?" She asked her. "N-no… I'm fine. Let's see if there's anything on TV..." Ringo insisted. She turned on the television where by default, it was on a news channel. Ringo was about to change the channel when we noticed something. "This just in, about two days ago, a court trial was conducted inside a resort in the Puyo Isles. A murder happened in one of the hallways during a previous night, and the victim had been revealed as a member of INTERPUYO. The body was discovered early on the following morning. The defendant was a teenage dragon girl named Draco Centauros, believed to have been the one to kill the victim. But, since there was a lack of proper authority, the trial had to be presided by a retired judge named Ex. The defense, as well as prosecution, had to be ran by those who knew most about the court system. Also, it would seem that the defendant was wrongfully accused and the true culprit was discovered. She was a spy under espionage that intentionally shifted the blame to the defendant due to hatred. Her motive in all of this was revenge, this… _"Spy Queen"_ hated INTERPUYO so much, the murder victim in particular. Although, she wasn't able to do this alone due to complicated circumstances, so she had an accomplice help out by posing as her incognito form. This in turn, allowed her to freely kill our victim in question and have a rock-solid alibi. She almost got away with her crime too, fortunately, the defense and prosecution of the case cracked down on the truth. We received word from the young, leading prosecutor in charge, for he wanted to say something." The screen transitions to a recording of a short conversation. "So, you wanted to say something... young man?" "Yes, I may have brought these two criminals down, but I couldn't have done it without that attorney and his assistant. They helped me realize a possibility that made me rethink myself… somewhat. I began to doubt the very witness that said her alibi was an unshakable truth. And then… all of that evidence came in from the defense, they said it was all from her room. The witness' reaction to that told me the real truth. It was such a shame to me… formerly, she was one of the people that I trusted the most. You see, I am the president of Suzuran High's student council. Kassandra, or rather, Spy Queen... she was Vice President. Incidentally, the victim was also part of it as well I knew her as Mari, she was the secretary." "So a lot of this thing was connected to the murder, Prosecutor?" "Yes, but it's just… too complex to explain in words. So I'll end things off by saying this, I take my priorities very seriously. I cannot afford to be… I guess you can say a _"co-worker"_ with criminals like her. It's incidents like this that destroy the foundation of what I work so hard for, building and maintaining its stature." The screen shifts back to the news anchor. "And there you have it, our big story for today. We will resume later to cover a recently failed ocean-liner heist, performed by a small group of terrorists…" Commercials then cue in for the break.

Ringo turns the TV off after seeing her mother looking pale. "Are you alright? Mom, you don't look so good…" "Ringo, I think this is the first time that she has heard of the murder…" Ms. Ando looked at us, shocked and bewildered. "Why didn't you two tell me about this…? You could have been victims in that whole thing too. Ringo, you are my precious girl, imagine how I would feel if you didn't return… And you Dave, I thought of you as a son that I never had… I always wanted one, but never got one." "Ms. Ando… I would like to say for both me and your daughter… our apologies. Me at least, I didn't want to tell you, or your husband, about this… I knew that it would bring down the mood. I wasn't sure if Ringo was thinking about it at the time, but if she was, then I'm sure that she wouldn't have wanted to tell you either." I told her. "Dave…" Ringo stared blankly. "Y-you're not wrong about that, Dave. I don't blame you… child…" Ms. Ando said, sitting down. "It's all good though, because the attorney that was mentioned in the news, that was me… Ringo was my assistant, through and through. We performed the role of defense... to help the defendant, she was our friend." I explained. "You defended somebody…?" She questioned. "Yes, we did… we wouldn't have done this if the person accused was a random civilian. We only jump in for the benefit of others before ourselves." I continued. "Mom, there was no way that we would have left her alone with a lack of help…" Ringo added. Ms. Ando paused for a minute before saying anything more. "Alright, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I'm proud of you two… but still, PLEASE tell me the next time that you kids are in potential danger…" She told us. "Don't worry Ms. Ando, if anything comes up... I'll protect Ringo, and myself." "That's right Dave, I have complete faith in you." Ringo hugged me. "I don't know how that could be the case, but if my daughter says that she has faith in you… then so be it. Anyway, just keep living a good life here in Suzuran…" She pleaded to us. "Will do, speaking of which… Ringo, we have school tomorrow. Even though all the assignments that we would have had during the trip are now excused… We'll still be missing concepts from our classes. I'm sure that you'll catch up with anything relating to math, but the rest might be difficult for you. As for me, I can probably get caught up with every other subject…" I said. "Yeah you're right, that'll be something that we have to do starting tomorrow." She responded. We came into that agreement and Ms. Ando smiled at our effort to start catching up.

A few hours later, dinner was made, so me and Ringo came to eat with her mother. "Ms. Ando, I do have to say, this food is always great… all thanks to the family produce." I praised. "Well you should know, it's all organic." She emphasized. "Exactly, there's just a level of elevated quality in freshly made meals compared to pre-packaged stuff. I ate a lot of that in my lifetime, so I would know." I started talking with my mouth full, then took notice and swallowed. "Oh sorry, I couldn't help but keep the flow of talking going on." I stopped. "It's fine, that means you truly like this food, sweetie." She winked. "S-sweetie?" I boiled up from embarrassment. "C-come on, we established that I'm nothing more than your guest here, and it should be as such…" I reiterated in an embarrassed tone. "Alright, whatever you say… Dave." She winked at me again. I sighed and decided to just eat the rest of my meal. I bowed as a sign of appreciation for the food, then walked back to my room. "Good, just how I left it as… The resort rooms were nice, but I was never one who just lives life in luxury. This is more of my style anyway…" I said to myself out loud. I laid on the bed so that I could relax. "Huh… it's kinda boring without being able to play games…" After saying that, I thought about the games that I played from my world. RPGs, adventure games, puzzlers, card games, and even visual novels. "Aw man… now things are kind of shit." I said, covering my face with a pillow. "Dave? I… heard you talking to yourself for a little bit. What's up?" She wondered. "It's… about my love of games, I haven't been able to experience that since I left my world." "I see… would it make you feel any better if I play games with you?" "Ringo, didn't you say while back on the special vehicle-?" "I described that in a past tense, I could start now if I wanted to…" "..." I paused for three solid minutes, as Ringo sat beside me the whole time. "Um… you there?" She clapped for my attention. "O-oh, sorry. I just needed my brain to think. I was never friends with a female gamer in the past. All the gamers that I knew personally were male, not that it was a bad thing… but it was stale. It's hard, trying to find a girl who is truly a die-hard gamer." "Dave, I love you, and I want you to be happy with… not only yourself, but me, Feli, Draco, and everyone else. I'll be willing to go the extra mile to have that wish of yours made." I laid there, flabbergasted. I wasn't sure what to say to her. "R-Ringo… do… you really mean it…?" "C'mon, you should know me by now… here, sit up." I sat up a second later and she hugged me. "My feelings for you are genuine, please don't doubt that." I remained silent, only looking at her clinging to me like a little kid. "Say something, please…" She pleaded. "I-I… I see, I'm sorry for my doubt. It seemed a little irregular of you to take on a new thing. I figured that you would be the type who usually sticks to whatever is familiar." I spoke my thoughts. "It's because of you dummy, you changed me, ever so slightly. I might take in a love the games thanks to you." She had let go of me. "Ringo… Okay, but we can't exactly play any now at this time, and this house doesn't seem to have a console. Plus, I don't have the computer that I was using back in my world. It looks like I'll have to find some way to get money, enough to where I can by myself one." I winced. "That won't be an issue…" Ringo assured me. "Huh? What makes you so sure?" I asked. "Suzuran High, from what I remember, has a gaming club… Yeah… and there aren't that many members compared to the grand majority of other clubs." "There is? Well… this is the first time that I'm hearing something along those lines… Regardless, that's pretty cool… we'll have to check it out when we find the time." Ringo nods and we noticed the time. "Oh, looks like it's getting late Dave… let's go in the show-" I covered her lips and whispered. "No, your mother doesn't know that we've not only seen each other naked, but had sex with two other girls. Just do it like how things were before, go in after I'm finished." "Okay." I grabbed some clean clothes and entered in the bathroom. I assumed that Ringo left my room at the time since I heard footsteps going away from it. I turned on the water, unclothed, and took in the cool shower water. "Ah… this feels refreshing." I enjoyed the water as is, but reminded myself that I couldn't just hang around. I cleaned myself reasonably fast, just enough time for the cool to have a lasting impact. I dry myself with a towel after shutting the water off, then jumped in my clean clothes. I left the bathroom, where Ringo stood nearby. "I'm going off to bed, see you in the morning." I told her. "O-oh, okay… good night." "Good night… Ringo." I smiled, closed the room door behind me, and laid down on my bed. I thought about what we potentially missed in school while being gone for a week. For a while, I remembered what we were doing we left. _Nothing much._ I thought. Either way, I wasn't really concerned about it. I had Ringo, and she had me. Me, Lemres, and Feli were all in a similar boat, so whatever we missed, we could work on together. I decided to calm myself and drifted into a deep sleep, where I lost consciousness.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends are set to go back to school on the following day. They had know idea what they missed at the time, so there was no choice but to blindly push on ahead. What could be waiting for them to do? Next chapter, Chapter 21: Playing Catch-up.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Playing ****Catch-up**

I woke up right on the dot, so I didn't feel the need to rush. I knew I had plenty of time to prepare myself. Me and Ringo left for Suzuran High after the usual. I decided to talk to her while we walked. "Hey Ringo, I've been thinking…" "Yeah?" "You're friends with Arle and Amitie, but I want to know how you three met." "You sure, Dave? It's kind of a long story, especially with how much we did together as a trio…" "Yes, please tell me." "Okay… It all started back when I was in junior high…" "So, middle school… right?" "Idiot, don't interrupt me with something like that." Ringo puffed her cheeks out to show her slight frustration. "S-sorry… continue." I pleaded. "Anyway, we met one day because of a phenomenon that was happening. Arle and Amitie ended up in Suzuran after being transported by portals. At first it seemed like a good thing when I met Arle, but then… something was messing with her. She became a puppet for one that I spoke of before, Ecolo." "E-Ecolo? You mean, this is also how you first knew him?" "Yeah, he used her to lure us into doing what he wanted. Lacking a physical body, he possessed Arle and set up specific places throughout my world… all so he could bury the planet in an astronomical amount of Puyos. He was also obsessed with me for some reason, I never figured out why he was so interested in me. In any case, I hated his guts for the longest time. We beat him, and for a while… that's how things were. I don't know why... I don't hold much disdain for him anymore. I'm not sure if he's still like that these days since he is the current keeper of dimensions. I haven't seen him beyond the day that me and Tee came to Ex in the farthest edge of spacetime. It's crazy, I'm actually kinda worried about Ecolo… even a being as positive as him might miss being with others." She released a puff of breath and stopped. "Ringo, I understand you… as far as I see it, he doesn't seem to be a bad guy. Did he ever do anything that was truly evil?" "No, he was just one that created mischief. Never once was he rude to anyone, he just wanted fun." "I see…" Both of us didn't say a word until we arrived on school grounds. We saw Lemres and Feli, they waved to us and smiled. Joining up with them, we headed into the cafeteria to wait for the school bell. "So, how're you this mornin'?" Lemres asked. "We're just fine, how about you two?" I replied. "Pretty much in the same boat I guess." Feli said. The four of us sat and talked for a bit, then Risukuma appeared. "Oh! Ris, what held you up? I was wondering where you were…" Ringo stood up. "Ringo, I had a… uh… little… mishap. Worry not, it isn't anything to get worked up over. So, it looks like... even I will have to get myself up to speed." He stumbled. "Ris, how has that ant bite been coming along?" I asked him. "Oh, it's gone now, thank goodness for that. It was seriously distracting my from my studies." He responded. "I'm glad for you then, you're my friend you know." He nodded to my words. I turned my head over to Lemres. "Oh yeah… Lemres, I was meaning to ask you something, but I never got the chance." "Sure Dave, what is it?" "It was about what you were whispering to Schezo, back when we were going that beach. Just what did you do to make him come along?" Lemres hesitated for a brief moment, then sighed. "Alright, but you're the only one that I'll tell… come here." We walked away from the girls and Risukuma to be alone. "What I told him was that if he didn't come with us, then I would reveal his entire porn collection to the girls. He REALLY didn't want it to be since he's always defendin' himself from being known as an actual pervert. In other words, he did not want the girls to get the wrong impression in his mindset." "Wow, no wonder he was freaking out quite a bit… I never knew that he had one." "Welp, we could continue to talk about this, but… time to wait out for the bell…" I nod and we sat back down. "So Dave, how are you gonna fair in English?" Feli asked me. "I think I'll do fine there, after all... I'm an intelligent writer and I know many different words. In the case that you were worrying about me regarding that, don't. I'm concerned for Lemres, he struggles with anything that isn't magic… This being a factor in all of this doesn't help ***sigh***." I pinched the area between my nose and forehead with my finger and thumb, then closed my eyes. "Yeah, that's a hurdle in it of itself… sorry for bein' a liability to you guys." Lemres said to us. "It's not your fault Lemres, we don't blame you for this." Ringo grabbed his hand. "Hmm… I think I have an idea." The comet warlock said. "What is it?" I wondered. "We could just band together as a team of five after school, getting ourselves up to speed with info." He suggested. "Yeah that's kind of what me and Ringo thought for us to do… Question is though, where do we meet?" I brought up. "Hm, maybe me and Lemres can come along with you, going to Suzuran and meeting back up with Ringo…" Feli proposed. "That does seem to be our best idea at the moment…" I continued. "Yeah, that's good… but what about you Ris? Don't you have stuff to speed through too?" Ringo asked the bear. "Hm, yes… but I'll do fine. I'm one who usually finishes early with stuff, it won't take me that long." He replied. "Well okay then…" When Ringo finished speaking, the bell rang. "And… that's our cue, come on Ris..." I stood up and he followed me to biochemistry.

Class began, and I discovered that me and Risukuma weren't really missing much information there. The other students must have been doing lab stuff during the past week. Fast forwarding to calculus, I missed a few big concepts, and Ringo didn't even worry. We both knew she was a god when it came to math. "My brain hurts, Ringo…" "It'll be fine, just tackle one thing at a time… That was how I was eased into numbers and such beyond that." She assured me and I smiled. Calculus ended ten minutes after that. "See you later." I said to Ringo. She nodded and I left for my next class, English 11. "Yo." Lemres greeted me. "Alright, let's make sure that you are prepared, Lemres." I responded. "Yeah, we're all friends here… we help each other." Feli added. Class began, and I pieced together what had been around when I was gone. I knew that I was prepared for whatever came next in this case. English ended with not really any issue from me. "Good, it seems like so far, I only have to worry about things in Calculus…" "Dave, there's still a chance that History will get us caught up in a loop." Feli mentioned. "Yes… in fact, I believe there's an eighty-five percent chance that what we will get is a lecture that came after a few others." I responded. "Then let's go already." Lemres advised us. We nod and head over there for our last class before lunch. Just as we assumed, there was a lecture. Unlike others from History however, this one was boring and felt inconsequential. I didn't see it as important, and it wasn't even related to the other ones prior. Never knew why our teacher decided to go over that. It was basically about the founding of Suzuran as a landmark, as well as the development of the city over the years. It was heading in a slightly more political direction, hence why I became bored as hell. I was never one who cared for politics, for good reason. Everything is so insipid and too needlessly complicated, to the point where most people, I'm sure, wouldn't give a flying fuck. Hell, it was so boring, Lemres fell asleep, and even I was on the brink of passing out. This was one test of endurance that I despised. Feli was surprisingly awake, but she didn't really pay attention. In my mind, I sighed and continued to wait until the bell kicked in. "Mmm, Thank God that's over with…" I stretched. "Hey Lemres, get up." Feli shook him. "Oof, I passed out… sorry, you two." He apologized. "Don't worry, it wasn't anything important. Anyway, let's go to lunch." I told him. We grabbed our things and proceeded onward. Moving on ahead to where we found a table to eat, we found the time to talk about that lecture. "Ugh, that lecture was fucking cancer." Feli complained. "Yeah, it generated boredom faster than watching a cow eat grass." I agreed. "Heh, that's one helluva comparison you've made, Dave." Lemres chuckled. "You should be lucky that you didn't get yelled at for sleeping in class, Lemres." I replied. "Yeah, I should be…" He agreed. "What bothered me the most about it, was that it had nothing to do with the other lectures. It feels jarring to go into an unrelated topic like this." I expressed my bewilderment. "Nevertheless, it's not like we HAD a choice to deny learning that…" Feli muttered. We stayed silent for rest of lunch, unenthusiastic to talk any further.

It was that time of the school day again, us leaving lunch to go to Primp Magic. We noticed that something was off today, arriving at the stop. "What in the…?" I stopped. The vehicle was supposed to be here already, but it wasn't. "The vehicle's not here…" Feli said. "Why though?" Lemres wondered. We decided that it would be best to ask other half-students if they knew what was going on. Unfortunately, we were unable to get anything, they didn't know either. Then an announcement came through all around the school grounds. _"Attention to all half-students currently on the premises, the vehicle that normally takes you to Primp Magic School... is broken down and is in need of repairs. Until it is fixed, you are to arrive there by yourselves."_ The message ends and we all groaned from this. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" Feli complained. "Damn, that sucks ass." Lemres frowned. "Well, we're just going to have to deal with that issue." I pulled myself together. My friends nod and Lemres creates a portal to send us away. At least with this, it was just us three enjoying ourselves. We flew through the portal and talked to get our spirits back in shape. Our discussion was great and smile producing. We each held on tight so no one would drift off to be lost. Some time passes through and we arrive at Primp. "Looks like we still got some time left." Lemres saw, relieved. "Thank God, I hate being tardy." I said. So we paced to our potions class with minor haste, appearing in time. Class begins with a message from the instructor. "So class, today we are going to start learning how to make a special potion. This one is known as a charge vial, it provides the consumer temporary energy in accordance to how strong they are. Obviously, the stronger you are, the more potent this effect will be. This should really only be used when you are in a pinch. Otherwise, this stuff could have... let's just say… nasty side effects." I heard other students murmur in response to the part about side effects. "***ahem* **Anyway, it's made of ingredients that are quite rare. As to be expected, they won't be just laying around. Your task for today, is to go in that forest and find one of each of the following…" She goes to show us what we need to nab for this. "So that's what you'll be doing today, and tomorrow is when you'll make a charge vial. For the sake of convenience, you guys will be in groups of three. You can choose who you want to be with, as long as they help you forward things along. Any students here who happen to not have any friends and are singled out, you can stand by me, and I'll arrange trios of my own volition. And one more thing, should you fail to collect all of the required items before class ends today… you'll automatically fail this assignment. I would be quick with group making if I were you, children." The instructor finished. Lemres and Feli waved to me, signaling me to join them. "It's great that we can do this together… but man, this first half of the assignment is strict…" I sighed. "You'll get used to it, it's only a little more than what I usually go through." The comet warlock mentioned. "There's nothing that we can't handle if we're together, so don't worry, Dave." Feli assured me. "Well if you two are confident… let's get a move on then, we don't have all class period to do this." I said, heading outside. "Ugh, when did it get so hot?" Feli questioned. "Gh- This heat… it's unreal." I stumbled. It must have been at least ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit. It was worse than what was around in the Puyo Isles. At least over there, it was a tropical region. Without the increased humidity, it doesn't rain as often in Primp. Therefore, there's less of a chance of the local being cooled. "Here you two, stay right by my side." Lemres told us. We shrugged in confusion, then decided that we should take his word. "Hey… I don't feel hot anymore!" I realized. "Me as well… What is this, Lemres?" Feli followed up. "This is my heat absorption shield. Not only does it protect us from the surroundin' heat, but it also deflect any rays that the sun happens to direct on us. And lastly, the shield cools us here inside, like an air conditioner. The only downside to this is that it drains my magical power out quite a bit over time. I won't be able to sustain it for too long… So Dave, I need ya to supply me with power when I get low." "Uh, how do I do that exactly, Lemres?" "I maintain magical power by eatin' or drinkin' something sweet and filled with sugar. There's a pouch where I keep candy, but I won't be able to use either hand to grab a piece. This shield requires both of my hands for it to hang around. I would've asked Feli to do this, but she's a bit too short to toss candy into my mouth." He finished. "Hey! That's not very nice Lemres…" Feli pouted at him. "Look, I wasn't tryin' to be rude, okay?" He made his case. "Guys, we're running out of time, we can't afford to be bickering like this." I reminded them. "Oh yeah, sorry." They said. I thought we wouldn't make the quota, but we somehow did. Finding everything that we needed and returned to the instructor. "Ah yes, you three did a great job with this part. I'll hold on to those for now…" She said.

Class ended soon after and we separated, me going to Accord's room for my last period of the day. "Okay, settle down, kiddies." Accord acknowledged. I stared at her as she said that. "..." "Oh, and young adult." She finished. I felt better and paid attention to her. "So, now that we are back from the trip, we will resume class as normal. Today, you will…" I noticed that she was hesitating on saying anything more, almost as if she had things laid out on the fly. This wasn't like Accord, she's usually prepared for most things. "Ah. Today you will observe the fighting strengths and styles of your classmates. Doing this will help you understand one another more than before. You will do so by via combat, that's right. You'll fight each other outside of the classroom. Of course, it's not going to be serious, because that would endanger yourselves. I'll call things off if I believe that their enough. Dave is going to be testing the rest of you on magical power." "Wait, me…?" I felt unsure about this. " ***giggle* **Why of course, you ARE my strongest pupil after all." She told me. "I don't know…" "Don't worry, Popoi will suppress you, if it's needed." "Oh right, I almost forgot that Popoi can do that." I felt better about doing this after I was reminded. I didn't want to hurt my friends too badly by accident. We left to go outside, in a single-file line. "Let's start things off easy… Lidelle, you will go first." "M-Me?" I was surprised too, but I suppose that it made sense. "Lidelle, do me a favor…" I requested her. "W-what is it, Dave?" "Hit me as hard as you can with magic and don't chicken out, I'll be fine from whatever you do." "I-I don't know…" "Do you want to become stronger?" "..." "Well, do you?" I waited for her response. "O-okay, I-I won't hold back…" "Excellent, give me everything you got." Lidelle breathed in slowly as I watched her. "... Whirling Typhoon!" I see a tornado manifest from her energy. "!" I kept my feet planted to the ground the best that I could. By the time that this crazy wind dissipated, my legs were shaking, to the point where I could collapse at any given moment. I was forced to sit down to give them a rest. "Oooooh… my legs, they feel like jelly…" To me, this was now starting to look like I was the one getting tested, rather than my classmates. "D-did I overdo it?" The girl asked me, worried. "Nevermind about that, you did great. There's not many things these days that flat-out debilitate me. So look at that, you brought me into submission without doing any damage, you should be proud of that." I smiled. "Ah! Th-thank you so much, Dave." She blushed. Accord steps in to congratulate Lidelle. "You can watch the others for this rest of this." She tells her. After a few minutes, my legs were feeling normal again. "Alright, who's next?" I eagerly asked the others. "Looks like it'll be me." Tarutaru said. "Very well Tarutaru, let's see what you can do!" I pumped myself up. "Ball Morph!" He yelled. "?" I didn't know what was going on at first. Then, I saw his body modify into the shape of a ball. "! W-what the-?!" He made himself start rolling toward me with surprising speed and velocity. I knew that I couldn't just dodge, I was only able to prepared for impact. "Oof!" He slammed me pretty hard and I fell to the ground. "Heh, not bad at all." I cracked a snicker, impressed. "I always start off strong, Dave." He replied. "Now, here's one of my attacks. Lightning Clap!" Tarutaru cleverly thought on his feet, quite literally. He used his shoes to shield himself from my electrical spell. "Incredible, you used the rubber material from your shoes to avoid getting shocked! So you have a great attack, as well as a defense plan." I was shocked. "It is as they say, _"The greatest offense is defense, and the greatest defense is offense."_..." "So, you take that saying to heart?" "Yes, most definitely." I tried coming up with a new strategy to catch Tarutaru off guard. But, it seemed that each and every attack that I attempted, he would counter with a move of his own. "Looks like I'll have to kick things up a notch…" I panted for a little bit. "Hrrrah!" I applied on my first level of dragon armor through transformation. I felt physically stronger, and that was all that I was looking for. My bigger suit of dragon armor was too dangerous to use here. After all, this was nothing more than a friendly fight of sorts. I went in to try and punch the guy. Considering that he's bulky though, he threw out his fist too. Both of our fists connect upon impact. I had more strength in the end and managed to knock him down. Immediately, my hand hurt from that and I shook it a little to ease the pain. "Ah… ouch, that hurt a bit…" I commented on my own internal injury. He got up and prepared another attack. "Fault!" Tarutaru stomped the ground and made a crack in the earth, which headed toward me. "!" I rolled out of the way. That was though, nothing more than a distraction. He used the opportunity to strike me. "Stomp!" ***snap* **"GH- AAAAGH! ***pant pant***" Bones in my rib cage began to crack a little from the force of his stomp attack. Had I not worn even the weaker dragon armor, I'm sure that my ribs would just be gone and likely other bones. Of course, that would mean death from a few, simultaneous factors. Excessive internal bleeding, punctured heart and lungs, and a disconnected spinal cord. "St-stop…" I pleaded. "That will be enough, Tarutaru." "Yes, Ms. Accord." Tarutaru had ceased. I laid in pain and slight paralysis as Amitie panicked. "N-no! Are you okay?!" She prayed for my life. "Amitie, my rib cage has broken up… I need medical attention right away." "Ms. Accord, we have to do something!" Amitie held on to me carefully and Lidelle was frightened by my condition. "I'm well aware, Amitie… I'm somewhat disappointed in you, Dave. There was more that you could have done to prevent this." "Wh-what the hell are you... talking about? I was holding back, sure... but not too much so." "That's not what I mean, you didn't use the strength that you did HAVE to the fullest." I didn't understand what Accord meant by saying that, at the time. "Anyway, Dave needs help. Tarutaru, if you would, please carry him back." "Yes, I suppose the responsibility falls on me." After hearing that line, I passed out.

I rise from a black and hazy mind, my vision was blurred. I felt that there was no longer any pain around my chest. I shook my head to kick my senses into gear. "Ugh…" "Hey, he's waking up." I looked around to know where I was, it was classroom. "A-Amitie…" I tried to get up, but I became dizzy from the attempt. "Damn… my head. How long was I out for?" I asked. "About forty-five minutes." Klug answered. "Shit. Combine that with the time that I spent _"fighting" _with Tarutaru, it should be almost time." I looked at the time to double-check. "Like I thought…" I sighed at my misfortune. "It seems that you pass out quite a few times in this class, Dave." Accord frowned. "Ah! That reminds me, my chest, it feels like brand new." I finally noticed. "Yep, thank the school nurse for that!" Amitie smiled, but then lost it when my face looked sad. "Dave, what's wrong? You look so… glum." She wondered. "... … … Maybe I'm… not cut out for magic-" I said before getting smacked on the face. ***smack* **"M-Ms. Accord?!" "No student of mine should ever give up like this, especially when they are my strongest. You have unimaginable potential, Dave... however, you have to learn to be more aware of what's coming. I know how your mind operates now, its reaction time is a little slow. Had you been less surprised by Tarutaru's _"Fault"_, you might have noticed his next attack and dodged in time. Besides that, even the best of magic users make major mistakes. Don't feel too bad about this and learn from your own mistakes." "Ms. Accord… Wait! Wha-?! It feels like I sense something coming in to attack us!" I stood up, but my legs shook constantly in frailty "! My legs…!" I reacted. "Dave, you haven't recovered fully yet, your body needs more time!" Klug put me down. "Just what would come to attack us now... and why?" Amitie raised the question. "I do not know kiddies, but if what Dave just said was true, then it's best that we be on our guard." Accord the others. ***crash* **Through the wall came a bunch of Puyos from outside. "Puyo puyo!" They hollered. "P-Puyos?!" Klug panicked. "Th-they look awfully angry…" Lidelle noticed. "But the question is... why though? What did WE do to them?" Raffina thought. "Perhaps… this because of that battle from earlier… Tarutaru, remember that second to last attack you did today?" "Yes, Ms. Accord... But what of it?" "That might have unintentionally provoked them and they manually searched out the source of it, you." I clenched my teeth in frustration hearing that, but what had come next, had me stop doing that.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends are suddenly attacked by enraged Puyos. The reason why they were so angry was unclear, but they at least knew what caused them to be this way, roughly. What is to become of our characters in their classroom as they fend off the Puyos? Next chapter, Chapter 22: Feverish Puyos.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Feverish ****Puyos**

The Puyos directed an attack toward us, everyone gathered around in a circle and protected me. Each of my friends, and Accord, knocked them back continuously. "Damn, I've never seen Puyos this strong before!" Raffina struggled. "Rrrr... Gravity's Strength!" Klug held the persistent Puyos in place. "There, that should keep them busy for a while." He brushed his hands. "Yes, but it's nothing more than a temporary solution, Klug. We should warn the rest of the school and take our leave." Accord announced. We agreed, mostly because we didn't have much of a choice. I was probably the only one fit to fight these tough blobs, but alas, I was weakened at the time. "I'll go. Kiddies, hide somewhere in the forest. I'll find you, so don't worry about me." She said. "Right!" We replied. "Let's get away from here before things become worse!" Amitie dashed off. Tarutaru picked me up and we followed her. "***pant pant* **Those Puyos… something was wrong with them. Did anyone else see their eyes? They looked unnaturally red." Lidelle mentioned. "Actually, I noticed that too…" Klug said. "Wait, you mean to tell me that those Puyos were not normal?" I questioned. "Apparently not." Raffina joined in. "Well, whatever the reason is for these Puyos being so agitated, it made them irregular in behavior and strength. Puyos are usually never this aggressive." Tarutaru described. "Hold on, I see somebody up ahead with Amitie." I alerted. "Isn't that the dark mage?" Klug squinted. "Yeah, that's him." I confirmed. "Schezo!" I called out to him. "Dave? What is going on here?" "There are a bunch of Puyos acting out the ordinary. These ones are DANGEROUS, and we were unable to defeat them. I would've attacked them with everybody else, but an earlier fight put a number on me." He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Puyos? I can't say that I fully understand… but I concede, it looks like you need help." "Y-you'll help us, Schezo?" "Only because these are Puyos we're talking about, Dave." I thought that he really did want to help, but no. It looked like he was only in this for the Puyos. I didn't know why. _Maybe Puyos are used to make useful stuff. _I thought. "Where are the Puyos right now?" Schezo asked me. "Well, they're tracking our movements, so they're probably coming close to us soon enough." I responded. "Ha! This just perfect, I wanted them to come!" He grinned. "Here come the Puyos!" I pointed. "Come at me, you stupid blobs of absolute nuisance!" The dark mage yelled. The Puyos swarmed Schezo, even he was not fit to deal with them for too long. "Damn! Wh-what are these Puyos on?!" "I told you, these ones are dangerous to try and pick a fight with." "Tch, looks like we'll need outside help…" "Then book it! We can't afford to have anyone going down from them!" "Fine, Dave!" We continued to run, with Schezo by our side. All he could do was to slow the Puyos just enough to where we could gain some distance. "Do you know anyone up ahead that could help us?" I asked him. "***pant* **Yes, Arle's house should be close to us. We'll need to be quick th- God, those Puyos are relentless!" "Puyo puyo!" A trio of Puyos tried to attack Schezo from above. "Schezo, watch out!" I warned him "Ah-!" I had to do something to protect him. "C-Cryogenic Bomb!" My icy attack launched the three Puyos away from us. "Well, normally I don't thank anyone for saving me… but just this once, I am somewhat grateful." He admitted to me. We came at last to Arle's house. Amitie knocked on the door, and Arle came out. "A-Amitie, what's wrong? Why aren't you at Primp Magic?" She asked with concern. "Arle, it's terrible! A bunch of Puyos came into our classroom, and they looked pissed!" Amitie replied. "P-Puyos?!" She reacted. "Arle, they keep chasing us, and we need all the help we can get. Not even Schezo was able to handle them... I would've done something about it, but I'm currently not in the best condition to be fighting." I told her. "Okay, you guys need help? I'll see if I can get Draco and some others to help." She promised. I saw Carbuncle come into the picture. "Gu?" "Carby, can you assist Schezo until I come back?" "Gu gugu!" The little yellow guy immediately jumped into action. "C-Carbuncle! Wait for me!" Schezo hollered and ran off. "Dave, we'll hold them off, just wait here." Klug said, dashing away to fight. "Sure." I approved. Tarutaru put me down inside Arle's house, and caught up with the others. "Tch. I can't believe that I'm useless to my friends for the meantime…" I scoffed to myself. I looked around the living room as I remained sitting down. "I guess Arle prefers to live a simple life…" Quite a bit of time passes, how much though? I didn't know. I heard several screams at one point, then reacted. "! My friends…! I have no choice, they're in trouble. I have to tough out my weakness and fight. Hiiiiiraaaah!" I applied my weaker dragon armor, since the latter was far too risky at this moment. I opened the door and went outside, joining in the fight.

**Schezo's POV**

Me and Dave's friends held off the Puyos for a while, but we couldn't drive them back to whence they came. "Shit, I'm losing too much stamina.. " I was wiped out. My muscles were practically sore from all of this fighting. But then, I heard a voice I knew. "Cryogenic Bomb!" Puyos surrounding us went flying around. "D-Dave, what are you doing here, you idiot?! You'll get yourself killed!" I yelled at him. "Look Schezo, it seemed like… you guys were backed into a corner. Had I not helped you just now, we would ALL be dead. There was just no way that I would accept that, even while not being in good shape." He replied to me. "Tch. Whatever… You can help, but back off once more help arrives. I don't want to be blamed for your death." I advised him. "Point taken, I will." He finished. I went in to attack another of the blobs. "Hrr! Slice and Dice!" I proceed to go through more of my attacks, beating around all of them. "Thunderstorm! Shadow Edge! Star Strike! ***pant pant* **I can't… remember the last time… where I had to fight this long and hard. Where the hell is Arle?!" I complained. "I don't know Schezo, she hasn't returned to us." Dave said. "Damn, that bitch…!" I gritted my teeth. "I'm sure that it isn't her fault, get over it… just keep fighting. Also, Arle's going to he really mad when she finds out that you called her that." He responded to my anger. "F-fuck you, Dave! Just focus on the enemy in front of us." "I was going to say the same thing to you, Schezo. And don't think I'm going to forget that comment of yours, either!" We fought them head-on, but they just kept coming at us without a break. "***pant pant* **Argh… I can't keep going like this…" I started to give up, but then help FINALLY arrived. "Kiddies! Don't worry, I have returned." Accord spoke. "And so have I, with a couple of extra pairs of hands to boot!" Arle continued. "M-Ms. Accord, Arle, Draco, and Rulue!" Dave sounded like he was in relief. "D-Dave! Go back to… Arle's house, where it is safe!" I commanded him. "Yes, I will." He nodded. Dave began to run back to the house but that's when trouble brewed. "! Dave, above you!" I screamed. He looked up in sheer terror, and screamed too. What he had his sight on was a massive amount of Nuisance Puyos, falling to his location. "Gyaaaah!" He couldn't move out of the way in time and got crushed beneath it all. "Dammit, no!" Draco began to tear up, seeing Dave meet his demise so unexpectedly. "These Puyos will pay for this!" Arle yelled, with a stern look on her face. Everyone was fueled with sadness and anger, besides me. Draco released a ton of fire from her own breath. Rulue kicked and uppercutted the Puyos into near-oblivion. Arle called upon her Judgment attack to give them utter hell. I didn't care so much for Dave, but I knew that I had to do something as well. We all held our ground for a while, but the Puyos came at us, even still. This was when I wanted to devise a plan to eviscerate them all. "Arle, cast your elemental spells on my sword!" I told her. "Huh? Why though?" She asked me. "Just do it, don't ask why!" "Okay Schezo, I hope that you know what you're doing… Fireball! Ice Storm! Thunder!" The three spells permeated my sword and the result was better than expected. "Alright… Everyone, get out of the way from the Puyos! I'll get rid of all of them in one shot." I only had one chance to make this work, I needed it to count. Once Dave's friends got the hell out of dodge, I prepared. "Haaaaaaah… … …" I charged my attack as one final assault. Combining Arle's elementals with my darkness power, I gave it my all. "Here I go! ELEMENTAL SHOCKWAVE!" I fired it from my blade, any Puyo that it touched… was torched, frozen, and zapped simultaneously. This caused a phenomenon that I now dub as _"vaporization"_. As the term would imply, the Puyos vanished from existence, one by one until they were all through. "***pant pant pant* **Ough… " I used every bit of strength in that attack, and I passed out.

I woke up in Arle's house with blurry vision obstructing my view. "Ugh… A-Arle… ! What happened?!" My mind comes to speed with the current time. "Relax, Schezo… the Puyos are all gone. It's thanks to you that we are safe now." She told me. "What about Dave though...? He was squished by hundreds of Nuisance Puyos." "Yeah… that's the issue now, just look at him. He hasn't been doing well since then. We got rid of those Nuisance Puyos, but he has been out like a light. None of us know what it is… it looks like he has some sort of fever." "A-a fever? Show me, Arle." Arle nods and shows me Dave in his current state. I felt his forehead and immediately took my hand off of it. "No doubt, this IS a fever, alright…" "***pant pant pant* **Puyo… puyo." I was actually worried for Dave. It felt off as a dark mage, but even I'm not completely cold and heartless. "He's burning up and breathing in an irregular pattern. I'm no medical expert, we need to take him to proper attention as soon as we can." I spoke. "Gu gu…?" Carbuncle jumped to Dave's side. "This doesn't seem to be just any fever either… I've heard stories about it… could it be true?" Accord looked at Dave's body as she spoke. "Huh? You know what fever this could be?" I asked her. "Yes… Dark Mage, this is... what I believe to be, Puyo Fever." "Puyo… Fever?" I had never heard of something like this. I fought against countless Puyos and did not ever encounter it. Naturally, I was quite skeptical about this fever existing… at first. "I heard about one case of a normal human being diagnosed with it… but there was never any evidence that I saw, would prove it to be real. So really, I thought of it nothing more than a tale. However, I remember the supposed symptoms of it, and Dave's condition matches the description." "What kind of symptoms?" "Body temperature rising above the norm, irregular breathing pattern, and he randomly said _"Puyo puyo_", like how Puyos go." "What does this thing do then? Is it contagious?" "First off, thank goodness that it isn't, from what I've heard… Secondly, the fever is supposed to invade the immune system and take out the white blood cells. They are replaced by Puyo cells, which are essentially a poison to our bodies. These new cells then slowly shut down vital organs, one at a time." "So the lungs, heart, and brain…" "Yes… and that's nothing short of a slow, painful, and scary death." She ended our lengthy exchange of words. "Ms. Accord, isn't there a cure for this?!" Amitie prayed for her to say yes. "Well… yes. But, it supposedly comes from a flower that can only be pollinated by a rare insect. If that flower isn't pollinated, then we cannot extract the cure." She told her. "What's the name of the flower and bug, respectively?" Arle asked. "The turquoise hydrangea and the hydra bee." Accord answered her question. "How are we ever going to fulfill those conditions? I've never seen either of those before…" Rulue came in, slightly frustrated. We all began to think, when an idea popped before me. "Wait, I think I may know someone that can help us." I said. "Who?" Arle asked me. "That boy… Sig, that's his name, right?" I questioned for confirmation. "Oh yeah, that's it! Sig knows a lot about bugs, maybe he knows where we can find a hydra bee!" Amitie lights up. "My, Dark Mage… you may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but that was a brilliant idea." Accord smiled at me. "Eh, it's just a spark in my brain that triggered from memory. Pay it no mind, we must find Sig!" I got us back into worrying about Dave. As we went to leave, we met three people at the door. "C-Comet Warlock?! Why are you here?" I reacted. "I was about to ask the same thing… we came lookin' for Dave, because he didn't meet back with us. Ms. Accord, I'm sure that you must've noticed too…" He said. "Yes, school's over for the day, has been for about an hour. So I assume that you heard about the problem that Primp Magic School had, then?" Accord joined in. "Yeah, me and Feli heard the announcement. Once we realized that Dave was missin', we got Ringo, then decided to try and find him." He continued. "I can't believe that he never bothered to call me." Ringo complained. "Well uh, how should I say this… Dave is here, but he's not in good health right now. That's probably why…" I told her. "What?! Show me, please!" She requested. "Dave's not well…?" Feli questioned. "This can't be good..." Comet Warlock looked quite concerned. "There he is…" I presented them. We explained to them what happened, involving the powerful Puyos, and Dave. "Hey, I think I know where Sig might be, Dark Mage." Comet Warlock told me. "What? Where?" I scrambled to a stance. "Follow me, I know the way. Piece of cake, with cream cheese frostin'." "That sounds revolting, Comet Warlock." "Wh-why does it sound gross to you, Dark Mage?" "The way that it's squirted out from the-" ***smack*** I get hit from behind before I could finish my reason. "You can kindly shut the hell up, Schezo. Seriously, will you EVER fix that problem of yours?" Arle scolded me. "Argh! Forget about it, Arle. We're losing time!" I yelled, growing more irritated. Ringo, Feli, and Draco opted to stay behind to watch over. We ran back inside the forest near Primp and there, we saw him. "Sig!" Amitie yelled to get his attention. "Amitie?" Sig gave a blank stare at her. "So what do you need me for?" He asked us. "Sig, this is urgent. Do you know where we can find a hydra bee? We need one to pollinate a turquoise hydrangea." Accord pleaded. "Uhh hold on… let's see, hydra bee… Well, hydra bees have a hive that is colored like no other. If it isn't beige, then you've found it. I know that there's at least one of those here, but I don't remember where." He said. "Please Sig, this is important… we don't have much time." Arle spoke. "Why are you all so impatient right now?" Sig questioned. "It's about Dave, he's got something called Puyo Fever. If we take too long to get the cure, he'll die." Amitie elaborated. "Ah… I think I know where one hydra beehive is." He reminded himself. "Th-then take us there so that we may do deep penetration for a hydra bee!" I demanded. "Schezo, you never cease it with your accidental choice of words… fucking pervert." He went ahead and punched me with his red hand. "Ow!" I felt the sting of that impact. "Again, that's what ya get for sayin' shit like that… ***chuckle***" Comet Warlock reminded me. "S-silence, Comet Warlock! Let us not get ourselves indulged in stupidity like that, and instead, get a move on!" I angrily made my case. "Sure. Whatever you say, man." He grinned. I sighed from the very attitude he embraced. We followed Sig for some time before encountering what we wanted to find. "Yeah, here comes one of them…" He prepared to bottle the incoming hydra bee, to which he was successful. "Good, now we just need a turquoise hydrangea." I said while taking the bottled up bee. "We'll be on our way now, Sig." Amitie waved to him. We left to find that flower, wherever it could be. We searched for about an hour with no luck. Just when we were, or should I say _"I"_, was about to give up, we found it. "Everyone, I see one here." Accord relayed to us. I released the bee from its glass prison. It latched onto the hydrangea and pollinated it. Soon, the bee stopped, buzzed, then began flying back to the direction of its hive. "Let's get back to Dave, his condition grows worse with each passing second." I spoke in haste. I placed the pollinated hydrangea in the bottle, sealed it, then we went back. "You're back! Did you get the thing?" Draco asked us. "Yes, we did. So anyway, how do we extract the cure from this?" I wondered. "Dark Mage, hand me the bottle." Accord put her hand out to me. I gave her it and the rest of us waited for results. "Here, I was able to turn the stuff in a liquid. Now, we just need to inject it into the boy." She said. "Do we have a needle for that?" Feli questioned. "No, we don't, and that's unfortunate…" We all sigh in frustration, having done all of this, for seemingly nothing. "Wait, I think there's someone that I can bring in that has one… from Suzuran." Ringo told us. "Bring that person in already, we don't have much time!" I yelled at her. "***pant pant* **Puyo puyo… Puyo puyo…!" "***gasp* **It's getting worse!" Draco panicked. "Go, Ringo!" I hurried her. "Okay!" She ran off, but not before Arle went after her. "Ringo, wait for me! You'll need someone to send you there and back!" We stare into the outside world before deciding to close the door. "All we can do is wait… and pray." Tarutaru concluded our constant talking for the meantime. We stayed silent until the two girls came back. "You guys needed a syringe, I take it?" A new voice enters. "Hey, it's that bear guy!" Draco recognized him. "It's Risukuma, Draco. And for the record, I am not just a bear… I'm a squirrel bear." He responded to her comment. We hand him the stuff to place inside of the needle. "Okay… Oh Dave, I feel so sorry for you… Anyway, this will sting…" Risukuma injected the cure into Dave. "***whimper***" "There, now we wait for him to fully wake up." He finished.

**Dave's POV**

I woke up, feeling a pain in my arm. "Oooh... What happened to me?" I wondered. "Gu gugu!" I heard Carbuncle go on. "Don't you remember? You were under a mountain of Nuisance Puyos, then became unconscious. The others dragged you in here after dealing with them. Oh, and I took out the colored Puyos before that, with the assistance of Arle's magical power. But then, I collapsed to the ground, losing all of my energy." Schezo approached me. "What are... Nuisance Puyos?" I asked. "Those are the greyish Puyos that really hurt you, Dave." Arle answered. "Anything else I should know?" I continued asking. "Dave, my student… You caught a nasty fever from the Nuisance Puyos. Thankfully, we cured you in time before you could die." Accord told me. "Oh, well thanks a bunch… all of you." I smiled. Ringo, Feli, and Draco then came in to see me, they were elated and dashed over. "You're okay!" All three hugged me. "G-girls…!" I reacted positively. "I was incredibly scared when I saw you lying there, saying _"Puyo, puyo"_ unconsciously." Ringo described. "Me too…" Draco agreed. "Dave, don't die on us after everything we've been through. There's a reason why you have three girls who love you..." Feli placed her hand on my cheek. I didn't say anything for about half a minute before coming up with proper words for this. "Don't worry, I'm not planning on being killed by anything, or anyone for that matter." I stood up and continued to speak to them. "Ringo, Feli, Draco… our love is so strong, that nothing can stand in our way. Oh yeah…" My smiled disappeared. "Ringo and Feli, I'm sorry about all of this... the Puyos were acting strangely, and they attacked us from out of nowhere. The battle wasted so much of today's time." I apologized to them. "It's fine, there shouldn't be much to worry about." Ringo told me. "What? But how, Ringo?" I was confused. "We can afford to skip out on what we missed for right now, only until midterms come up." She explained. "Which is when?" I asked her. "About a month from now… roughly." She finished. "I see… then what about you two?" I pointed to Lemres and Feli. "We shouldn't have much to worry about either." Feli told me. "Yeah, we'll be fine, Dave." Lemres assured me. "Well, if you say so… Should we go home?" I scratched my head. "Yeah, it's getting late… Mom might be worried about me." Ringo said. "Okay." I replied. Me and Ringo waved goodbye to all our friends and Accord, then left for home. Ms. Ando grabbed hold of me upon seeing us come back this late. "Where have you been, Ringo and Dave? I was worried sick about about you children, coming back later than expected." She held me like as though she was my mother. I could tell that she did care for me. "Well, Ms. Ando… I got hurt from something and had to recover." I lied. Ringo nodded to make my statement seem trustworthy. "I appreciate you trying to cheer me up… but you're lying to me." She used one of her hands to grab my chin gently, and lifted it up. Making me look at her, face-to-face. "You looked away from me slightly while saying that… I just want to know, why did you lie to me? I'm sure that you two have a good reason, but I want the honest truth." She requested us. "***sigh* **Alright, but I must ask this to you, Ms. Ando. Are you ready to hear this truth? It's a heavy one, and it'll require understanding. Also, remember when me and Ringo were telling you about our time in the Puyo Isles? I wasn't telling you the full truth with that either. Yes, I was doing a court case on the fly over there… but there was more to that trip than that. I'll ask this once again, Ms Ando... are you ready to learn of what transpired with me, ever since I started living here?" I waited for her final answer. She thought it over for quite some time, leaving me and Ringo to be silent. "I think I'm ready…" She held her words, firmly. "Very well…" I went ahead and told her everything. The stuff about how I helped Klug, the sex in the Puyo Isles... and what happened to me, involving my most recent problem. I could tell that she was overwhelmed by all of it, finding it to be difficult to think of things to say. "I-I find this to be a little hard to believe… Magic? Sex? And… a fever that I had never even heard of…?" She questioned me. "I know, there's so much doubt to be had in what I say. I must say this though, it's all true. Here, I'll show you…" I stood up. I materialized my weaker dragon armor to present as proof. "Wh-what is this?" "Ms. Ando, I am no longer a pure human. I'm partially a demon now, but fear not. This is still the same person that you knew before." "You have scary eyes…" I raised an eyebrow from that comment. "What?" "Your eyes, Dave. They're not green anymore, they are… a dark red? And the shape of the iris in them is different too." I decided to look at a mirror to see this for myself. Sure enough, my eyes had a dark red hue, and the iris in both had a shape similar to cold-blooded animals. "Huh, so my eyes DO appear differently… I never noticed that. Anyway, I use this to protect people like your daughter. I may be a demon, but I still have the heart and mind of a human." I finished. "Mom, Dave protects me so much… that's why I fell in love with him." Ringo finally spoke again. "A-are you sure that this is what you think is best for yourself, my child?" Her mother asked. "Mom, this is Dave we're talking about here. I care for him as much as he cares for me." Ringo wrapped her arms around me, and I did the same. "You shouldn't have anything to worry about, Ms. Ando. I'll even protect you if things get that bad. After all, you seem to be just as frail as you daughter. … What do you say?" I waited for another answer. "I-I'm not sure, Dave." "Ms. Ando, look at me. I started out as a bashful guy, with no strength to speak of. I was as frail as any average human would be. I got as strong as I am now because Ringo and my other friends believed in me, counting on me to get the job done. I need you to believe too, after all, you're the closest to being a mother of sorts to me now." "... … … Y-you're right. What kind of parent would I be if I didn't believe in a child that I'm looking over? Even if you are not mine… I treated you like a son. Dave, promise me that you can play your part, as you say. Oh, and I'm okay with the fact that you two are in love." She smiled. "I will, and thank you." I replied. We enjoyed the rest of the night, smiling and laughing away. Since Ms. Ando now knew of my relationship with Ringo, we did not need to be so evasive of it anymore. We could enter the bathroom together as a couple anytime we pleased, and love the time that we shared.

I talked with her in the shower, happy and carefree. Washing each other backs, we began doing just that. "Ringo, I'm so glad that your mother understands everything. When she makes up her mind, she knows what's best." I said. "Yeah, Mom always cared for me, like I was one of a kind… And she thought it was best to keep the fresh produce business going. This was after my grandma taught her the benefit of giving the public organic fruits and stuff." She agreed. "So wait, was it your grandmother who started this family business?" I assumed. "No, Mom was the one who did, but Grandma reinvigorated her passion for it." She explained. "I see, also… did you just use a purple word, Ringo?" I was surprised at her acknowledgement of the word. "Yeah… ***giggle*** I decided to learn a few new words in my English class." She revealed. "Well then, I'm sure you'll be glad to have learned them." I encouraged her. She smiled, then went in to kiss me. "You're always too kind… Wanna touch my breasts?" She tempted me. "Seducing me now, are we? Hehehe… Sure." I complied. I groped softly at them, they felt firm, but also soft. Not too big, and not too small. The more that I did it, Ringo breathed in and out slightly harder. After a bit of teasing, she directed me to stop. Having her back toward me, she spoke softly. "Stick it inside me." I knew what she was referring to. I didn't need her to tell me twice, I inserted my penis into her vagina. "Ah…!" Her body reacted to the action, even if it was slow and steady. And then, it was in. Maybe it was fully erect yet, but it was getting there. I could tell that she felt the erection, as she continued to moan. "Yeeees… thrust it harder… ***pant* **and faster, please." I breathed in and did so. Ringo found a lot of pleasure, being banged by me. I became completely hard from the friction of it. "Take it... out for a sec, Dave." I removed it, then she turned around to face me again. "Shut off the water and dry off, we are continuing this out here." "Why?" "It's so we can do this next thing without the risk of you slipping on water." We dried off, then Ringo proceeded to suck on my dick. This was the only thing that she wanted wet. Making sure that it'll slip back inside her and keep it hard... she wrapped her tongue all around it, covering it in a thick layer of saliva. "It should be ready now…" she assumed. I felt great from the sucking, it turned me on more than I anticipated. "'Kay… Pick me up, and I'll hold on tight." I nodded. She clings on to me like a baby. I grabbed my wet and throbbing cock, then shoved it back in that pussy. I slid it back and forth at a decent speed for a while. This caused Ringo to go into that critical mode. "Shit…! I'm gonna come! Fuck me as hard as you can without you, yourself coming! I don't wanna have your seed planted in yet!" As she commands I pound her as much as I could, without giving in, and handing her the best climax she can have. "OH…! I'm coming…" She twitched. I felt her come flow through, to where it leaked out of her. I took out my stick, it throbbed violently. "Look at how big its gotten… Ejaculate in my mouth, Dave." She told me, still panting from her climax. I jerked off as she waited in anticipation for my semen. Just when I was on the brink of ejaculating, I stopped. "Suck on it, it's going to explode, Ringo…!" She did so after getting on her knees, quickly. "Ah…! I'm coming!" The semen entered her mouth in large increments, to which she swallowed each until the last bit came out. She held that smaller load in her mouth, then leaned in for a kiss. Ringo must have wanted me to taste me own semen. "So how was the taste, Dave?" She smiled. "I don't know honestly, but-" "Oh look at that, your dick is still hard…" She looked at it in surprise. I was shocked from its current state as well. "Looks like it still has the will to pump out more of that delicious semen… Shoot it at my face, don't worry, I can still clean my face after this." She perked with excitement. "Alright, I'm in the mood for another climax." I agreed. I jacked off and Ringo sucked on my testicles for further pleasure. This went on for a few minutes or so, then I felt it. "Fuck, I'm coming again!" She prepared her face to be splashed with my goo. For a second, consecutive climax... I released quite a bit. "Wow, those testicles really do put in work. It makes me want to feel what it's like. Although, they'll need to be resting for a few days…" She said. "Yeah." I replied. "Anyway, thank you for making my life better with this, Dave. Maybe I'll take you out on a date sometime." "Sure, I'll be looking forward to it when you find the time, Ringo." I finished. We cleaned ourselves up by turning the water back on, then put clothes on afterwards. We exited the bathroom, and a thought popped into our heads. "Hey, you wanna sleep in the same bed for tonight?" Ringo asked me. "Yes, I would love that, Ringo. Let's tuck into my bed, it's bigger than yours." I told her. She nodded, and we covered up together. Wrapping each other with our arms and legs, we fell asleep in deep love.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave survives the deadly Puyo Fever after fighting in a weakened state. He fought valiantly for his friends, in spite of that. Dave now is back to his old self again, thanks to Schezo and others getting the cure. But one does have to ask this obvious question... Why and how did those Puyos get so strong? Only time can reveal the answer to that. As to when, no one knew for sure. Next chapter, Chapter 23: A Scholar's Focus. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: A Scholar's ****Focus**

We woke up, smiling on our own accords. "Good morning, Dave." Ringo softly said. "Good morning to you too, Ringo." I spoke just as softly. We exchanged a kiss, then prepared for another day of school. There wasn't much to it, as usual, and we left with hardly a hitch. We walked toward Suzuran High, not really talking. Not that neither of us wish too, but there wasn't much on our minds at the time. That was the case, until I reminded myself of yesterday's events. I had a slight feeling of worry in my stomach. "Ringo…" "Yeah, Dave?" She turned her head toward me, then noticed my face. "It's about yesterday... The appearance of those specific Puyos, rub me the wrong way." "Why? Weren't they just Puyos at the end of the day?" "You weren't there to see them, Ringo. These Puyos were intimidating, with red eyes and dangerous power. It took Schezo and his sword, powered by Arle's elemental magic to eradicate them. Even then, he passed out from exhaustion after doing it. That's what he told me, anyway…" "Do you know why they fought hard, Dave?" "No, no one does… They just kinda showed up, unnaturally hostile against anything that wasn't them. Unbelievably volatile, not anything to be messed with. These guys would react from the smallest of upsets, like the angriest of bees. I want to find out why, however… I feel like I would be following a dark path, toward an even darker truth. No, I don't just feel, I know that to be the case. But still, I have to know why…" Ringo became silent as we continued walking, seeming not sure what to say to me. We found Lemres and Feli standing next to a tree, near us. "L-Lemres, Feli… I would have expected you two… to be standing outside the school door to the cafeteria at this time. Why aren't you there?" I wondered. "Dave, we were bothered by what happened yesterday… regardin' the Puyos you faced. The dark mage mentioned how that these ones were different." Lemres explained. "Yeah, because me, Amitie, and the like were ambushed by them… I was just talking about this with Ringo, Lemres." I brought up. "Oh really? Well, I just thought that this could be looked into…" He said. "It ought to be risky though..." I partially covered my mouth. "Let's… not think about this any further. Instead, we should put our focus on school. " Feli suggested. "Yeah, you're right." Lemres agreed. He seemed to feel a little better with that. As for me though, I couldn't shake the weight of that event off like it was nothing. The rest of the morning before the first class was nothing too important. Me and my friends made small discussions about… miscellaneous things. The bell rang, engaging our leave in an instant. "Welp, see ya in English, Dave." Lemres left with Feli. "Well, bye for now." Ringo left, without saying any other words. I stood there for a second, but then noticed something off. "Huh, where is Ris?" I wondered. Risukuma was nowhere to be seen, he was usually around at this time. I dismissed it, not because I didn't care… but rather, I needed to get to biochemistry. So I took off for it, forgetting about the bear. I got there, and class started like normal. Risukuma however, was still not around to be seen. The teacher noticed this discrepancy in slight shock. "Huh, Risukuma is not here today? That's odd, he was never late for this... let alone, absent." She spoke in worrying tone. Outside of that, the class progressed as it should. It felt empty without him around, he had a passion for science. I mean, I had my own interests with it, but it didn't feel as impactful without Risukuma by my side. Plus, I wasn't really friends with any of the other students in that class. They just kind of went off on their own business. Not to come off as rude... they would rather be friends with themselves. Biochemistry ended, so I went over to calculus next. "Ah, Ringo. Have you seen Ris at all, this morning? He wasn't with me for my first class, and was marked as absent." I brought up to her. "What? Now that you bring it up… I didn't see him either. Not when we both walked to school... or in the cafeteria… Now I'm kinda worried for him, Dave…" She slowly broke down. "Don't fear, Ringo. I'm sure that he'll come back tomorrow... and provide us a perfectly reasonable explanation." I spoke optimistically. She nodded slowly as we sat down for a world of math. A dosage of brain-overloading later, I waited out this number and variable-filled storm. The bell rang and I sighed in relief. "This class is never going to get any easier for me at this rate…" I stood up. "You'll adapt, and when you do, it'll be fun." Ringo smiled. "Yeah, it'll be fun when my brain is mentally fried, Ringo." I told her, sarcastically. We stared at each other for a few seconds after that was said. "Well, see you later, Ringo." I walked and waved without looking back at her. English was within my field of vision, rejuvenating my brain for learning. "Yo, Dave." Lemres greeted me. "Yo." I called back. "I gave this a lotta consideration lately… I wanna see if I can actually try n' learn academics for once." He said to me. "Well, has it started off on a good note?" I curiously asked. "Not… so much… but at least I'm tryin'. If there's any academic class that can teach me a thing or two… then it's this one." He looked up. "Uh huh… I see. I mean, it does make sense. This is probably the easiest of the academics, Lemres." I agreed. "I hate to be the bringer of stress, but… we need to get inside that room before that damn bell rings." Feli brought to our attention. "OH! Of course, don't want to be tardy, now." I realized. "Yep." Lemres went along with that. We all scrambled inside to our seats, just in time too. The English class of the day wasn't too interesting, so it went by quickly for me. Lemres at least kept himself awake, but he was often distracted by other things. One of these things involved his overactive imagination, to which he explained to me later at lunch. We leave for history where we were back on track with related topics. Ones that were, before that awful and unrelated lecture came up. But then, the theme of sweets came up. As soon as sweets were mentioned, Lemres paid attention more than he ever had before in this class. "Just look at him, Dave... he now feels inclined to learn the immediate topic." Feli whispered to me. "It's quite obvious why he's like this now, Feli. It is the mentioning of sweets that's motivating Lemres." I whispered back. He wasn't just motivated to learn, he was also taking notes. Not even in that potions class did I ever see him write notes, so I was quite pleased with this. History ended with Lemres feeling very happy. As we all walked to the cafeteria, he smiled in a jubilant manner. "That was great, Lemres!" I praised him. "The talk of sweets gained my interest, Dave. Maybe that's the spark that I need… hehehe." He put his hand behind his head. "Hopefully, it'll be enough to give you an incentive to learn." Feli said.

We had our lunch, not anything too special to note except for the thing with Lemres. "Dave, I have quite the imagination because of my love for sugary sweets. I often become so engrossed in them, that I lose focus on other things." He told me. "Lemres, I think Schezo knew about this sort of thing before. Back when we were on the Puyo Isles, you were fantasizing, then he got annoyed by it." I mentioned. "Hahaha! Yeah, I remember that. That dark mage is always so fickle with things of the sort. I just love how he gets mad on a dime, it still manages to crack me up." He grinned. "He's just overly serious all the time, not able to take a joke… It makes me… worried for his sake. It just seems like the guy never has any fun. And when he does get the opportunity to, he doesn't take the chance. What kind of life does he hope to live with that attitude?" Feli followed with. "Schezo is an absolute buzzkill… and he doesn't need to be. I get that he is a dark mage, but that shouldn't dictate how one chooses to go about their days." I pressed the matter further. I no longer smiled after this topic came up. It was funny at first, but then it became depressing. "He needs change in his life, how can he enjoy it if his days are mostly the same? If I can just... show him that he can live at the fullest… maybe he can like it for once. I may have not known him for too long, but Schezo is an outcast it seems. A lack of exposure to the outside world is bad for him. I know this… cuz, I was like that before traveling from my world. I was meek, shy, and a bit unwilling to talk… not because I hated people that I didn't know, but rather, I lacked social skill. Feli, I've already spoken about this to you, do you remember? Back then, in that strip club… However... you, Lemres… I don't think you noticed that, not before or since then… until now, that is. Am I correct about all of this, Comet Warlock?" He and Feli stayed silent for a short span, thinking of what to say. "Dave, concernin' you? I dunno, but about Dark Mage, yeah. I've known him for a while now, he likes to keep to himself. Bundlin' up in a dank cave, he just kinda sits there, alone. It just makes me wonder, how's he not goin' insane from that?" He presented. "My thoughts exactly, Lemres. But yeah, Dave… I remember what you told me that night. That being said, if anyone can improve Schezo, it's you." She looked up to me. "Maybe we should visit the guy after school... even though he'll clearly be uncooperative at the start." I proposed. "I agree, he'll never get better... unless we go to him." The comet warlock spoke with clear intent. "I agree too, no one should have to force themselves to restrain their own way of life." Feli lifted her fist a little, then clenched it. We finished lunch, came over to Primp Magic, and entered the potions class. We continued the charge vial thing, making it with the items that we found. Mixing it all together, the liquid in a small cauldron became a dark blue color. The instructor took a look at it as we finished it. "Ah, good job. This is a quality vial mix with a rich blue, coating its appearance. I can tell from that alone, this was carefully made with absolute craftsmanship. You three definitely deserve a passing grade for this creation. Also, since you got a passing grade on this particular assignment, you can keep that dose of charge vial as a reward." She passed it along to us. I studied the vial closely, it was about the size of my palm. "Dave, I think you're the one who'll need it the most." Lemres suggested. "You sure, Lemres?" I asked. "Yeah, I trust that you'll put that to good use. Besides, I use sugar as my form of sustenance." He smiled. "Okay, if you say so… I'll only use it when the time is right. I don't know when that will be, but since its small, I can pocket it with me at all times." I decided. Potions ended, then I tried walking out to my last class. "Hold on, Dave." I was called out by a voice. "Instructor?" "Please, just call me Witch when we are alone. Anywho, you chose your friends wisely. Lemres is one of the best magic-wielding prodigies in all of Primp. And then you have Feli, I've heard that she has unique power amongst students. Plus, they are both nice and easy going. So tell me, child. Did you get a lot of help from the two when starting in this class?" "Well, uh… yeah. It was rough for me in the beginning, but they showed me the ropes in extensive detail. Think of it as a jumpstart, Witch. I'm still a bit inexperienced with this, but I know what I'm doing. It's thanks to Lemres and Feli that I can improve at this." "That's wonderful. By the way, Dave… were you ever curious as to how old I am?" "Th-that's out of left field… No, no I wasn't. And I don't want to guess your age, because I feel like you would be offended." I rubbed my left arm with my right hand back and forth. "Ah, I see. I do thank you for your kindness. Well, in truth… I am twenty years old." "Y-you're still a minor?!" "Heh, I guess I am…" "! S-sorry, Witch. I need to get going to my last class." "You take care of yourself, then." I dashed out after she said those words. Again, I hated being tardy, so I got there in haste. The bell clapped after I took my seat, then class began with a little delay. "Welcome, kiddies. Yesterday ended up as a travesty, due to what happened. I would explain it, but you all know already. In response to this, it was decided by the school itself, that a new co-instructor should be here whenever we have combat lessons. I would like to introduce her to you at this moment. You may now come in." Accord called for this new co-instructor, and she was familiar to me. "Is that?!" I reacted. "This is Ms. Rulue. Say hello to her, everyone." She told us. "Hello, Ms. Rulue." We said in unison. Rulue looked around the room and saw me. "My, if it isn't Dave… Anyway, I'm known as the fighting queen elsewhere. However... here, students… I am simply a co-instructor, helping Ms. Accord with this issue. I thought that this would've been a good use of my combat experience. This may be a magic-centered class... but there are techniques out there, designed to attack opponents physically. Specifically, those that are for close-quarters combat, or CQC for short. I knew that there was at least two kids here who use attacks like that, and Ms. Accord told me about the last one here who is like that as well. Dave, Raffina, and Tarutaru… you three are the ones I refer to." She announced. "Yes, and now that we have that established… we will immediately get back to doing the combat stuff from yesterday." Accord added. We headed outside to resume what was done previously. "Children, this time… the procedure is going to be handled differently. Dave, Raffina, and Tarutaru will go over there with Ms. Rulue… Meanwhile, I will take Amitie, Lidelle, and Klug over here." She pointed to the respective locations. "I see, you're separating us because of our forms of combat…" Klug assumed. "Correct, Klug." Accord confirmed. "Now then, you three come here." Rulue ran to the spot that she wanted me, Raffina, and Tarutaru to be. We followed and waited for her to make further instructions. "Alright, I will be testing you guys on attacking physically and your own stamina. In fights, it's not just important to have the ability to attack your opponent with ranged moves. You have to be able to adapt whenever enemies get the jump and encroach upon you. To do that, you need to have skills suited to landing hits close to you. Also, your body needs to last for a long period of time. Running with your legs, throwing out punches with your arms, make sure not to get tired out so easily. It'll make all the difference in the world, ensuring that you can keep yourself going. There is always going to be a limit to what your body can handle, but that's why we're here… so that we may increase the ceiling of that limit. For the sake of this exercise, you will try to attack me continuously with things that make direct, physical contact. You can use magic-powered physicals that utilize your arms and/or legs against me, but no ranged magical attacks. It'll defeat the purpose of this training if you can't fight or defend in close proximity to the enemy." She explained. "... So, it's hand-to-hand fighting then. Okay, who's going first?" I wondered. "It'll be you two as a team, fighting me." Rulue points to my friends. "Us?" They questioned. "Yes, I heard from Ms. Accord that Dave, at his strongest, is quite the formidable force with his transformation. To which I say, I'll allow it to be used, by the way. Until then, he'll wait for you two to have your time." She continued. Raffina and Tarutaru waited for Rulue to commence, then she showed a hand sign to begin.

The team made the first move, surrounding her, and throwing separate punches. "Hrraaaaah!" They yelled. Rulue countered by launching herself high in the air. "Holy crap, that jump! Her legs are like that of a frog's!" I reacted. "Wing Kick!" She was falling to the ground, aiming her attack at Tarutaru. "Gh-!" He had little time to react, let alone, to get away from it. He barely avoided contact by ducking, he probably knew that he couldn't defend himself from that. Raffina looked like she wanted to end this as soon as possible. Not that I could blame her, a prolonged fight against Rulue was not favorable for those two. "Thrust!" Her hand jolted as Rulue swiftly matched her attack. "Rock Punch!" The two collided, neither side showing visible weaknesses. "They're evenly matched…" I observed. "Not quite, Dave. Raffina, that wasn't bad. I know that you look up to me since we fight so similarly, but I've had a longer experience. With age... comes skill, and that also creates wisdom. I've been a warrior for years at this point. Meanwhile, you've only been fighting for a few years at most. Your stance as a fighter is admirable, but glass cannon-like. That's the cost being an adolescent. More energetic, however… your usually not sure what you should do next. That lack of strategic thinking is the very fatal flaw you have. You're just hoping that you can end this quickly, right? You may have a plan, but without coming up with the full execution of said plan on the spot… you'll create mistake after mistake. "Iron Fist!" Rulue ends this by landing that attack on Raffina and Tarutaru. "Gyaaah!" "Oooough!" I stood there, speechless. Those two never landed an attack successfully on her. "... … … Oh my God, you knocked them out with a single punch?!" "Don't worry, they'll be fine. I purposefully held back against them. Now, let's see if you can entertain me, Dave. Don't hold anything back on me, give it your best shot!" "Very well then, Ms. Rulue… don't say I didn't warn you." I transformed into my strong dragon armor. "Wow, I didn't think that you would look this intimidating and tall… but, it'll make it all the more fun!" My new combat teacher having fun? This, I wasn't expecting, however it made sense. "Yes, this will be a lot of fun!" I agreed. We stood our ground, staring at each other, waiting to see who makes the first strike. She whipped out, lunging at me. She was quick, too quick. "! C-crap!" I fell down. The next thing that came up, she was on top of me, taunting. "My you must be quite the magnet for chicks, Dave. You're so dirty…" "W-wait, W-WHAT?!" I blushed from inside the armor. "Heh, you're so stupid, this is just a ploy!" Rulue grabbed one of my legs, then threw me up to the sky. "Wh-whoa-oa-oa-oa!" I remembered that I had wings in this form, so I got my body's positioning under control. "Nice try, I have wings, allowing me to fly. Although, I haven't had this form for too long, so I'm still learning to get a complete grip on it." I flapped about. "I didn't expect that... oh well. That just means that you now have a weakness for me to exploit!" She grinned. "W- Huh?!" "Too slow!" Jumping up to me, she took hold of one of my wings, and threw me down to the ground. "Uwaaaaaah!" I was going too fast to stop myself from hitting the ground. "Ugh… … Good thing that this armor is very durable…" I shook my head to focus. I closed my eyes, and waited to sense Rulue coming toward me. "If you're not gonna attack me, then I'll just have to pummel you more!" I heard her coming from behind me, timed it out and open my eyes. "Hrr!" I managed to catch her arms, then slammed on the ground in front of me. "W-What? Ouch." She brushed herself off after getting back up. "Ms. Rulue, I'm focused now. I've seen how you fight, fundamentally… so I adapted. That was the only way I was ever going to get the best over you, even if it was just for one maneuver." I said. "See? All it took was a moment to breathe, then you took back some control of the battle. Your biggest problem was that you meander about, and you find the wrong times to recover for a few seconds. Never go through an entire fight with the intent on improvising, or else, undesirable results will show. You're a good fighter, there's no denying that fact. However, that armor... although bulky and tough, makes you an easy target for how big it is. Endurance won't matter if you don't have the firepower to back it up. So come on! Attack me and I won't dodge, I'll only test you on your strength at this point!" She dared me. "If that's what you want… I'll give it my all! HRRR!" I rushed over, charging a punch for one huge blow. "RAH!" I made an impact, she blocked my fist with her hands. "Impressive, boy. When you do land attacks, they certainly have a bite." "That's not all there is to it... here!" I made a low sweep with my legs, catch her off guard. The force colliding with her legs made Rulue lose her balance and fell. "Whoa-ah! … … Ha... hahaha! I guess I was a fool for not seeing that coming." She smiled. "Here." I reached my hand for her to grab. "Thank you, Dave. And good work with today, it was rough at first, but you fixed it up." I disengaged my armor. "No problem… I'm worried about those other two though. They're my classmates, and I want them to be strong enough to not rely on me so much. I can't always be the one to save the day. What if disaster strikes at the same time I am pinned down, like yesterday? Then someone else will have to shoulder the responsibility… It just feels like something that I have to do, being the protection of everybody I care about. I know that it sounds unrealistic, but I have the heart of a hero. I do whatever I can, to help those in need… even if they think that they don't require help…" Rulue looked at me, floored by my words and not seeming to find the right words to say. "Dave… I… may not be a hero, but I understand your feelings. Trust me, I'm concerned for them too. Turn around, kid." I turned, and she had her arms around my neck. "As your teacher now, it is my duty to train you guys. So, I will make a promise to you. I promise that… I am going to do the best that I can to have you three trained properly. I'll make sure that nothing bad will have the ability to kill us. Is that good enough for you? Does it make you feel better?" "Y-yes, i-it does…" I began tearing up. "Oh… here." She took me over to the nearest place to sit. She held me, like an older sister almost. Rulue's hands might have been rock-solid in battle, but here, they were so soft and gentle. It was hard to describe the feeling other than it was comforting. "Dear me, I've never seen a boy of your age so sensitive before… Come on, you're the young adult of this class, so be one." She wiped the tears from my face. "You're right. ***sniff*** Thank you for the promise… oh. It looks like they are finally getting back up." I noticed Raffina and Tarutaru recovering themselves. "Argh… that smarts…" Raffina commented. "S-same..." Tarutaru agreed. "You two look like you need some work to do…" Rulue spoke to them. "Yeah… I… couldn't do much, even with Tarutaru." Raffina admitted. Tarutaru nodded then asked me a question. "What about you, Dave?" "Guys, I managed to keep myself hanging in there." I told them my success, trying not to gloat. "That's good." They said. "We should go and see how the others are doing." Rulue suggested. We nodded and moved back to see Amitie, Klug, and Lidelle casting spell after spell at Accord. None of these connect, and only hit a barrier formed by her. "That's enough, kiddies." She told the three. "***pant* **That was draining…" Amitie said. "Ugh... I feel the same, Amitie." Klug agreed with her. "***pant* **I-I think we're all exhausted." Lidelle pointed out. "Oh, how was training your trio, Ms. Rulue?" Accord asked her. "Raffina and Tarutaru need additional training, but Dave eventually worked around his problem." Rulue replied. "I see, that's good enough for today, I suppose. At least a couple of our students are improving." She decided. The bell clapped soon after we ended the training. "Take care, kiddies. Tomorrow, we'll take a breather, in the form of a new assignment." Accord waved. I took off to see Lemres and Feli as soon as I could. "Lemres! Feli!" I called out. "Dave!" Feli was glad that I came by. "Huh? W-what's wrong?" I wondered. "It's Lemres, he's hurt!" Feli explained. "What?! Let me see!" I took a look at him, figuring out what came up. It turned out that he was bleeding from his arm. "A-a gunshot wound?! Who would do this to you…?" I noticed. "We have to get him to a doctor, he'll bleed to death otherwise." I was told. "Alright…" I looked around, finding Tarutaru close to us. "! Tarutaru, I need your help. Ordinarily, I would do this, but I have something else that requires my attention. Can you take Lemres to a hospital? He's bleeding from the arm after getting shot. I'm counting on you, my friend, please!" I begged. "Yes, of course. This is the least I can do to pay you back. I'll not let you down!" He nodded. "Good. First though, I need him to ask me something… Lemres where is Schezo's cave located?" "You… should be able to find it somewhere outside of the forest. I don't 'member... exactly where it is though. It's been a while since I went there... so cut me some slack." It wasn't anything too concrete, but I was willing to take it. I texted Ringo that I would come back late, due to circumstances. "Okay, goodbye Lemres and Tarutaru. Come on, Feli!" "C-coming!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** **Dave overcomes the issue that he has difficulty dealing with, thanks to Rulue. He and his friends also wanted to change Schezo as a person. When Dave does go to find Lemres and Feli, he saw that Lemres was injured by an unknown assailant. He passed the comet warlock on to Tarutaru, counting on him to take the guy to a hospital. Dave and Feli now go alone to find Schezo's cave to see the dark mage himself. Next chapter, Chapter 24: What it Truly Means to be a Dark Mage.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: What it Truly Means ****to be a Dark Mage**

We searched non-stop for Schezo's cave. No matter which outer portion of the woods we looked, Me and Feli couldn't find it. "***pant* **Hold on, Dave... let's take a break." She requested. "A-alright, we're not making progress anyway, so we might as well." We sat together, against a tree and looking up to the sky. "Feli, this place is tranquil… the peace, the plants and animals…" "Yeah, the breeze is like that too." I don't know why, but I started to sing about the current state of the forest. "Oooooooh~... This world is the embodiment of tranquility... this quiet and little forest. All living things have a kindred spirit, deep-down inside. It is that very spirit, which fuels this exact tranquil feeling. It's only something one would understand… if they experience that... for themselves~..." Feli stared at me in awe. "You can sing?" "Of course, music is a passion that I had back in my world, Feli." "Well, I think you're a wonderful singer." "O-oh, really?" I blushed from that compliment. I didn't think I sang that well, but she seemed to like it. "You look cute when you make that innocent face, Dave." I continued to blush until we hear rustling. "! W-who's there?!" I yelled. "Relax, it's me." I veered my head to see the source of the voice. "! You...?" I saw a figure jump down from another tree. It was Rulue, she must have followed us as we took off for Schezo's cave. "What are you doing here?" I asked her. "I should ask you that very question. It's dangerous to be in these woods, since this is where those rabid Puyos came from. Who knows what else could be lurking here... I saw you two dash through, after leaving behind that other guy with Tarutaru." "So you saw that… That one guy was Lemres, an… acquaintance of Schezo's. Feli told me that he received a bullet through his arm, from an attacker lurking in the shadows. Because of that, we had Tarutaru take him to a hospital ASAP." "Why though, Dave? Couldn't you have done that, yourself?" "No, we had another thing planned for this afternoon. Unfortunately, Lemres' injury threw a wrench in the plan. Lemres was going to be like a bargaining chip of sorts. For what, you may ask? Schezo. …" I explained this rest of what we wanted from Schezo to Rulue. "I see now... but, that same attacker may be shifting around here… What if that poor girl gets shot next? Besides, I doubt that pervert, Schezo, will be listening to what you have to say. I know him, and he's a very stubborn person… Ugh, it pisses me off just thinking about him." "Don't worry, I'll protect Feli if things go to that with the attacker… and, Schezo DID save us all by destroying those Puyos. I think it's warranted to thank him as well, even if he's not the nicest person." "***sigh* **Fine, go. Not without me though, he'll need some... persuasion. Plus, you two seem to be lost, so I'll guide you to his cave." I nodded to Rulue, letting her join us.

It took us a while, but there it was. "This cave's bigger than I thought…" I spoke in surprise. "Is he in there?" Feli checked. "***sigh* **Let me. I'll get him running out here in a flash." Rulue took over. "Hyyyyyyah!" She pounded the earth surrounding the cave, causing the area to shake. "What the hell is this?!" Schezo's voice bellowed from the cave. We see him run out in a panic before he looks at us. "Rise and shine, Schezo~..." Rulue majorly taunted him, grinning at his expense.. After seeing what truly went down, he got extremely angry. "Ruuuulue…! How DARE you mess with me and my cave! What is your justification for doing this shit?! And YOU! Why are you here, Dave?!" This was the angriest that I've seen Schezo be. I mean, that was for a good reason. It was his home and that shaking probably made it cave in a bit. "N-now hold on, Schezo! I have a good reason, just calm down, okay?" I was assuring him. "Hahaha... calm down? CALM DOWN?! That was my place of residence! What makes you three think that you can go and ruin it?!" He was so furious that he leapt at and rapidly punched me. "Ouch! Ack! Help! Get this lunatic off of me!" I pleaded. Rulue and Feli each took hold of one of his arms, then pulled him away. "If you hurt Dave anymore… then I'll make you shit your pants and regret doing it." Feli glared at him. "Grr… Dammit! Why can't I just be left alone?" Schezo questioned to himself. "That… is precisely why we came, to make you no longer lonely… and live a normal life." I told him. "Dave, you still don't get it… I WANT TO LIVE ALONE! No more friendship crap, and no staying together like a family… I hate being with other people! End of story!" "Even if those people are thankful for what you did?" "Tch... I did that Puyo extermination yesterday, strictly for my own benefit. I don't care for you or anyone else." "Not even Lemres?" "Sh-shut up, don't twist things! My relation to him is only mutual because of my respect for his magic power. I DON'T treat him as a _"friend"_." Rulue was right, Schezo's stubbornness goes a long way. "You know, your cave wouldn't be in shambles right now if you weren't so stubborn. This is why others hate your attitude, because you act like such a jackass. That's all thanks in part, due to your seclusion from society. And, as if that wasn't bad enough… Not being around other people gives you a less than desirable position to be social. Hence, you sound like a pervert to those. All from your self-imposed stipulations… why do this to yourself? We can help you… It may take a while, but I know that people will like you if you bother to change, Schezo … What do you say?" He looked at me, as though I were crazy. "Are you high? I'll admit it, you do make a convincing argument… but please, you do remember that I am a dark mage, right?" "***sigh* **It's clear that you don't see eye-to-eye with us, Schezo. I'll make a deal with you, and it involves putting our conflicting ideologies regarding your well-being to the test." "What kind of test, Dave?" "A fight. If I win, you'll have to try being more social and make friends with people." "Very well, should I be victorious in this… then you will leave me alone, FOREVER!" "Then it looks like we both accept these terms." We stared each other down as we readied for a brawl. Feli and Rulue released him from their grip. "You may have bested me before… but I can assure you, that will NOT happen again. Things are going to be different in this round..." After saying that, I applied my strong dragon armor. "... because of this, Schezo." "I can feel a powerful aura from you, you're not bluffing." "Of course not, why would I do that now of all times?" "Tch. Whatever... Here I come!" Schezo ran toward me. "Haaaaa!" His sword swiped against me. "Heh, nice knife you got there. It's too bad that it didn't do anything." "Th-this cannot be! Grr...! Fine then, Thunderstorm!" "! Ack-! I'll show you…! Cryogenic Bomb!" "Ah! Cold, cold, COLD!" Our onslaughts continued going back and forth, like a game of tennis. "Star Strike!" That attack ended me the last time me and Schezo fought, I couldn't afford to get hurt by it. I used my blade as a shield, to which it broke. "Damn!" "So you had a sword too… Heh. Such a shame that it didn't stand up to MY dark magic." "You motherfucker… get over here!" I jetted to him for a punch, he almost didn't see it coming. "Rrrrrrrr!" "Th-that speed-! Argh!" His body slammed against that cave's entrance. "Ugh... This isn't over yet!" He was going to jump to me. At that moment, I thought of something really cheeky to do. I lured him to jump towards where Rulue was, by taunting. "You-! Raaaaaaaah!" Then, I simply just sidestepped out of the way, and waited for things to ensue. "Gyaaaah!" Rulue saw him coming toward her. "Woooooah! Look out!" He fell on top of her, with a hand on one of her breasts. "Y-You….. DERANGED PERVERT! Do not defile the body of the one and only fighting queen!" She uppercutted the shit out of the poor bastard. "Oof-! Yaaaaaaah!" The dark mage flew up high into the air, then landed on the ground in major pain. "Holy fuck… Now I know for sure in the future... do not piss her off." I whispered to myself. "Hmph! Seriously… he's such a degenerate at times." Rulue complained. "Woah, I think you knocked him out..." Feli reacted. "Well, that's what he gets for being so reckless. It's only natural that he pays for violating a woman's body, namely mine." I may have beaten him, but he passed out in the process. So we had to wait for him to get back up. Meanwhile, I decided to deactivate my armor and make some small talk. Though, I ended up getting way more than what I originally bargained for.

"Hey, Ms Rulue-" She stopped my words. "Just call me Rulue when we're not at school." "O-okay. So um, Rulue… I'm just curious, how long have you known Schezo for?" "That… I've known him for several years. I believe I first met him when he was just fourteen... so seven years ago." She told me. "He would be twenty-one now, right?" I thought back to time at the strip club. He WAS actually old enough to go, regardless of special perks. "Yes, but he wasn't always the pervert that you see now… In truth, this was before he became a dark mage. We crossed paths after this one event that occurred… As a seventeen-year old, I was kidnapped by a vampire lord, known simply as Count. This was also when I met Satan for the first time. I found him sulking in a secluded corner of Count's Castle. He carried on about Carbuncle being taken away from him by the count." "Huh? But isn't Carbuncle… Arle's companion?" "***sigh* **I guess she didn't tell you… She claimed the little guy as her own a while after this story took place. Before then, Carbuncle was Satan's pet. He loved him so much for how adorable he was... Anyway, I wanted to help him by killing Count off, to which I did. Navigating that castle was strenuous and time-consuming, fighting countless monsters besides that damn vampire lord. Satan thanked me greatly, then I fell in love with him. I left the castle and wandered about for days on end, looking for a way back home. That's when I saw a boy, Schezo. He looked lost, as much I was… we talked about our solo journeys. His was similar to mine, except it was being pulled into a mirror that he viewed for himself. At least, that's what he claimed to be the case. It was a day where he and classmates of his were on a school trip. Thinking that someone was calling out to him, the _"voice"_ lead him to the very mirror that was mentioned. Trapped in a dungeon, he learned to use dark magic. Traversing through, slaying monsters, and then caught a glimpse of the _"Sword of Darkness"_. Upon defeating it, he gained the ability to wield it for himself. With these newly obtained strengths, he escaped in one piece. The mirror showed Schezo his future as a dark mage. His teacher found and scolded him for being separated from the others, then dragged him away. He released himself from her grasp and ran away, never to be seen again by her, or his fellow students. We both realized how similar our stories were, just with a few key differences. Be as it was though... he left me after we had that talk, saying that he'll become an all-powerful dark mage. This was the origin story of how me and Schezo knew one another. Now you know, Dave…" I was left sitting there, dumbfounded from the story. Feli listened to the tale as well, just as dumbfounded as I. "So that sword Schezo holds now…" I guessed. "Yeah, it's the Sword of Darkness. A one-of-a-kind blade that was forged with dark magic. I never knew how it came to be... however, I've heard that this relic has the power to do almost anything that the user desires." Rulue described. "A weapon enveloped in pure darkness…" Feli observed it. "Ooooooh…" We saw Schezo waking up in a daze. "Oh good, you're up." I said. "Fuck…" He shook his head. "! Dave, you WEASEL! You did that on purpose so I would lose!" He accused me. I thought it would be best to play innocent. "Huh? I don't know what you mean, Schezo." "Do not feign ignorance, Dave! You deliberately taunted me, so that I would jump at Rulue. And you casually dodged at the last second to make sure that happened." "Are you seriously insinuating that I purposefully made you jump at her? Please, I was simply trying to keep my distance. There's nothing wrong with that, right? All I wanted was to defend myself from you, that's it. There's no ulterior motive involving my actions. It just seems like more of a coincidence that you landed on top of Rulue, don't you agree?" "Bah! Fine, be that way if you wish, dirty rat." "Now, now. What did I say as the condition of you losing to me?" "That I would be more of a normal human, in a nutshell?" "Essentially." "..." I knew that Schezo hated this, but in my mind, it was for the best that he changes. "We'll start with that tomorrow, Schezo… take note of it." I informed him. "Tch." He scoffed. I gestured to Feli and Rulue. "Come on, we're leaving." They nodded and we left Schezo where he was.

**Schezo's POV**

I dealt with the pain that Dave inflicted onto me. "Argh… Goddammit. I had the Sword of Darkness, but even that didn't do jackshit. DAMMIT!" I was so angry, I thought that one or a few of my veins would burst from emotional tension. "I'm so mad, I want to kill myself! I can't live with the fact that Dave is better than me..." I was going to go through with it too. I aimed the sword to my own stomach, preparing for suicide. Just when the blade was about to puncture my skin, a voice stopped me. "Stop, Schezo." "! W-who goes there?! Expose yourself this instant!" "You should be familiar with who I am, listen to this voice… what do you hear?" "S-Satan?!" "Ding, Ding, Ding! Correct!" He appeared before me, flying with his wings. "What do you want?" I asked him unenthusiastically. "Sheesh, lighten up. It's true that Dave defeated you, but he felt like he had to." He said. "Why?" I piled the questioning more on him. "He thought that you changing would be for the best. Even I admit it, you're quite… detestable to deal with at times." He elaborated. "What did you say to me?!" I drew out my blade. "Relax, Dark Mage. I don't want to fight you, especially not in the condition you're in." "I can take care of myself, Satan. I don't need or want help from others… you should already know that by now." "That's why I feel more inclined to do so. Here, let me show you…" He grabbed me and started to fly. "H-hey! What the hell are you doing?!" I flailed about. "Look, Schezo." He urged me. We saw Dave walking back from my cave, talking to those two. "Let's listen in, shall we?" He made it possible for us to hear Dave's conversation, even though we were many meters high in the air. "Dave, I'm still not sure if Schezo can really improve himself." Rulue told him. "Don't worry, it'll be difficult for sure… but, I know that there's a bright side to the evil residing in his heart and spirit. I feel it as a small flicker of light. It barely shines within the darkness, holding on for hope." He assured her. "You seem to be confident with changing that dark mage…" Feli spoke with her own doubts. "Yes seriously, how does this guy expect to make me _"better"_ ?" I questioned. "Schezo, keep listening." Satan urged me once more. "Fine." I said, keeping my mouth shut. "He'll find a way to wield the darkness, rather than being used by it, Feli." Dave pressed on. "What do you mean by?" She asked him. "Feli, Schezo's spirit is unconsciously letting the darkness run wild. His mentality is clouded by a lust for absolute power. As anyone should know, lust can be a deadly sin. It also goes a little in tandem with gluttony. I guess you can say by alternative… he's a power-hungry glutton." He finished. "WHAT?! The nerve of-!" I got cut off. "Schezo, I sense trouble heading Dave's way, we need to go help him." Satan advised. "Bah, he can hold his own! He defeated pathetic, old me not too long ago." "No, I sense a ravenous form of energy near him. It's imperative that we join him and Rulue." He dipped us down as quickly as he could.

**Dave's POV**

I talked to Rulue and Feli about how Schezo is currently. At that moment, I heard a voice from above. "Dave! You are in danger, be on your guard!" I looked up to see who it was. It wasn't just one person, but rather, two. "Satan?! What are you-? And Schezo?!" I reacted. "Over there, from that brush, I feel an overwhelming power." He said. Upon hearing that, I activated my strong armor on the spur. "Alright pussy, show yourself! If you're so strong, why hide from us?!" I called out. We saw a figure emerge from the brush, one I knew. "! M-Maguro?! What the hell are you doing here? You should be in prison where you belong!" I lashed my words out. "Hehehe! It's nice to see you again after… how long has it been? Like a month or so?" He joked. "Maguro… I don't know how you could've escaped… but, I'm putting you back in your place, craven!" I threatened him. "Oooooo~ I'm sooooo scared." The bastard sarcastically spoke. "_*sigh* _Satan, is Maguro the source of this energy that you speak of?" I asked him. "No, he's not." He confirmed. "Start talking! Who else is with you?" I pressed Maguro. "… …" He stayed silent. "Answer me, dammit!" I demanded. "Wait Dave, look at his hand over there." Feli said. "Wh-what?! A gun? So YOU were the one who shot Lemres!" I gritted my teeth. "Yeah, I admit it." Maguro told me the hard truth. "Why...? Why?!" I grew impatient. "Chill, man. It was so that I could lure you into the forest." "What the hell, Maguro?! I would have gone in there regardless… Why did you need me?!" "It was so that I could lead you to my new master." "Master?!" "Yeah, you heard me." "Where is this person?" "In the bushes right now, listening to this very discussion, Dave." Maguro called for his master to appear. "Behold, mortals. I am all-powerful and not one to be trifled with…" The figure spoke. "N-no… It's him…!" Rulue couldn't believe it. "Wait… Rulue?" I was confused. "Dave, he's none other than the vampire lord that I told you of, Count." She explained. "! But, that's impossible… you killed him! Also that sunlight should be turning him into dust, how is he thriving in it?!" I brought up. "Ah, so you were that girl that fought me in years past. And to address the elephant in the forest... I have found a way to be insensitive to the sun's rays." Count showed himself more. "Tell me, Count… how the hell are you alive? Me and Satan both saw you in a dead state after I defeated you." She wondered. "Yes, yes. I understand your confusion… You see, I faked my own death so that I could go into hiding for these years. I found a portal that led me to this world, and it was the perfect thing that I needed. That fight made my power dwindle to a fraction of what it was before then. I preyed on the weak here, recovering myself… slowly, but surely. Now, I am at full strength once again. Plus, I plan to go further beyond. I was granted a new name by those who I am working for, Count Vyle. A fitting name, considering that I AM quite vile." He laughs at us. "Vyle, you monster…" Satan grew angry at the count. "Hm? Say, Ruler of the Puyo Underworld. You seem different now, compared to how you were back then… What had become of your evil? I thought you had your own vile agenda to fill out." The count wondered. "I'm not like you, I am a dignified and benevolent ruler. Besides, Dave here allowed me to grow into who I am now." Satan pointed to me. "! That armor…! Impossible, a new Demonic Dragon Warrior?" "Vyle, I may be a demon now, but my heart and spirit are not filled with evil and darkness. Instead, they're fueled with hope and justice! That's where actual power manifests from, not darkness." "Ha! I see. Regardless, I feel your power… it pales in comparison to mine." "What…?" I didn't believe him for a second. "Allow me to show you… … … The acidic black haze begins to form… Come, if it is dormancy you seek. Bat Storm, go." Vyle summoned a swarm of bats to sick on me. "Seriously? A bunch of bats won't put me away." I stood my ground. "Dave, no! Don't let those touch you!" Satan warned me. "Wh-?!" The bats came in too fast for me to see clearly. "Dammit, get off of me!" I pulled on them. They bunched up together while sticking to me. I felt a shock emanating from the bats, it was very painful. "AAAAAAAGH!" I fell down on my stomach instantly and discovered that I was paralyzed. My arms and legs didn't move and my body stayed on the ground. "Sh-shit…" I couldn't do anything, I was helpless. "Bastard!" Satan attacked the count. "Cataclysm!" His attack managed to do something, but not a whole lot. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Satan, you have become soft. Even back then, you did a bit of significant damage to me. However, now as it stands, you don't match me in any capacity. I'm sure the new Demonic Dragon Warrior would have fit the bill… but I didn't take a chance. I incapacitated the fool for assurance of my victory." He spoke. "Guys, run while you still can… that includes you, Satan. Go…! I can't move anywhere, my body is paralyzed. "No, we're not leaving you like this, Dave!" He insisted. "I'm too heavy to be carried right now, and for some reason, I can't turn off my armor. Just please go, for your own sakes." I pleaded. "Dammit! We are taking you with us whether you want it or not! We can't have you needlessly die on us." Rulue told me. "Schezo, Feli… help us…!" Satan requested, trying to lift me. "Oh? Are you running away?" Vyle wondered. "They're too scared of ya." Maguro replied to him. "Heh. Perhaps they are…" He smiled viciously. "Vyle, don't think that this is over… this is but a tactical retreat. We'll return to destroy your ass, Lord of Vampires!" Satan sweared. All four of my allies carried me and ran as fast as they could. For a while, they trucked on. "***pant* **Okay, I think we lost them…" Rulue believed. They started to slow to a stop, putting me down to rest themselves. "Ough… I seriously hope I don't have to do THAT ever again…" Schezo bitched. "Stop your whining, Dark Mage… we all wish not to do something similar to that in the future." Satan promptly shuts him up. "***pant* **Dave, how are you feeling?" Feli asked me. "This paralysis has not faded, Feli… Satan, what did Vyle do to me?" I wondered. "Vyle has this power to permanently paralyze anyone, by using his bat friends. However, it only works on people who are weak enough to have their muscles fried. Basically, the electrical charge was overwhelming. As a result, your arms and legs are now holders of too much of that charge. They lost the will to move because of that." He elaborated. "So… am I stuck like this forever?" I asked him. "There is a way to remove it, but we need to seek help from the dead." "Why the dead?" "Ghosts absorb electromagnetism for energy, which that is a byproduct left over in your body right now." He finished. "I know a duo of ghosts that could help us with that." Feli said. "! You do?!" I reacted. "Well then, this is a surprise… If you know where to find them, then lead us the way." Satan implored her. "Alright, let's continue carrying Dave." She lead the others. "Come oooooon!" Schezo complained. "Shut up, Schezo. Deal with it, so that you can become a better person. This is a debt you owe after I saved your ass, while in a weak state." I glared at him. "Tch." He scoffed. I was carried off to where Feli was leading us to.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave fought Schezo for a second time. In this scuffle, he managed to win with the use of taunting. Schezo begrudgingly goes with Dave's proposition, hating it all the while. Satan joins the dark mage as they fly to listen in on a conversation. However, he sensed an extremely powerful force near Dave, Feli, and Rulue. This force was Count Vyle, the vampire lord who kidnapped Rulue when she was seventeen. He shocked Dave and the gang went ahead to retreat, carrying him along the way. Satan mentioned that ghosts can absorb excess electromagnetic energy. This prompted Feli to say that she knew two ghosts, so she has the others follow her lead. What is to be of Dave? And who is this ghost duo Feli spoke of? Next chapter, Chapter 25: A Ghostly Yin and Yang.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: A Ghostly ****Yin and Yang**

Feli kept leading the way for us, until we saw a small and dark house. "Uh… that's looks creepy, Feli…" I commented. "What did you expect, Dave? This is a home for the ghosts, dank and tattered." It didn't just look tattered, but also decayed. The wood that it was built from appeared old and unstable. She opened the door and we headed inside. "Ah-choo! ***sniff* **It's cold in here…" I said. "Very ch-chilly…" Rulue followed. "Yeah, unnaturally. This proves that they are here…" Feli confidently said. "H-hey is there anyone here?" I called out. "... … …" "No response…" Satan noticed. "Tch. They're probably planning on scaring us." Schezo asserted. I was put down on the floor and everyone else looked around. "Yoo-hoo~. Anyone here?" Satan continued calling out in my stead. I looked away toward the walls, the wallpaper was peeling itself out. I looked back above me to see something, or rather, someone hovering about. "! Y-you must be…" I reacted. The others turned back to see what I saw. "...one the ghosts!" I finished my line. "Boo!" The ghost hollered at me, but I didn't feel scared. Instead, I was mesmerized by how adorable this ghost was. "Aw, you're such an adorable little ghost!" I squealed. "Wait, I remember her… she's that one little eccentric spirit. I recall her because she called me a pervert during a tournament!" Schezo realized. "Gee, isn't that the fucking shock of the century…" I rolled my eyes. "D-dammit Dave, shut up!" He yelled at me. Then, another voice entered the room. "Yu, do we have guests?" The voice asked. "Oh yeah, we do! Come in here, Rei!" The ghost cheerily replied to the voice. I safely assumed the ghost that I first saw was named Yu. The voice belonged the other ghost, he definitely looked a lot more depressed than the first one. These ghosts had sheets covering them. However, I found it weird that they weren't transparent. Yu's hair had that shade of green, which I couldn't describe what it was. Her eyes did not have pupils, only an eye color surrounded the white part. Rei had blue hair, though I couldn't see his eyes. "My, I've never seen this guy before…" Yu looked at me closer. "... he looks cool! Anyway, welcome to our home, the _"ghost office"_! I am Yu and this is my brother, Rei. We make special spooky deliveries regularly around Primp Town." She welcomed me. My eye kind of twitched from the spoken pun. "I think I'm going to kill myself, because of that horrible joke." Schezo whispered. Satan smacked him on the head. "Ouch!" He yelped softly. "Quiet, fool. Pay attention and don't say anything else." He had set him straight. "Who're you, new guy? And, are you alright? You don't seem to be doing so well." Yu asked me. "I'm uh, Dave. I have too much of an electrical charge in my body… we were hoping that maybe you two can intake the excess." I replied. "Ah, I see what you are talking about! Sure thing. C'mon, Rei!" She understood. "Hold on, before we go through with that, Yu… I want to talk to him first…" Rei told her. "Oh, okay! Take your time." She encouraged him. "Guy, I want you to do a favor for both of us. That is, after we take out that unnecessary charge from you that is..." He whispered. "What kind of favor?" I whispered back. "Well, you see how energetic, and loud Yu is?" "Yeah Rei, what of it?" "We may be both ghosts, but we're complete opposites beyond that." "So like Yin and Yang?" "Yin… and what?" "Um, nevermind. I can see that clearly, but how does this tie into your favor?" "I don't want to exist anymore, at the same time though, I want Yu to have a second chance in life. She got herself killed out of being foolish. She didn't deserve that death…" "What happened to her?" I wondered what caused Yu to lose her life. "She took her own life, believing that it would bring her happiness." "...! Wha…? But, what about the life that she had? Wasn't she happy at that time?" "Of course she was, but she wanted eternal happiness. So, she committed suicide. I became sad from that, as her brother… and I killed myself too. Even in this afterlife, I can't find peace…" "Well, what do you want me to do about it, Rei?" "You have that Satan guy with you, right? Have him fuse my spirit with Yu's, making it so that I have basically never existed. I want there to be a remnant of her in the newly formed spirit… for her to experience the full life that she never got to live. Doing this, our emotions will balance out to that of a normal person's. Whether we turn out to be a guy or a girl is a toss-up. Then, he can insert the fused spirit of us inside of an incarnated body." "I never knew that he could do that… but sure, I'll grant this favor for you, Rei." Our conversation ended with both of us nodding. "Hey, what did you talk to Dave about, Rei?" She asked him. "Oh, not anything you should concern yourself with…" He replied to her. "Okay!" She nodded. "Alright you two, take out the extra charge from my body." I told them and they want ahead with it. I felt a little tingly, but after the process concluded, I tried moving. My arms and legs were back to normal. "Yes, I can move again! Thank you so much, you two!" I deactivated my armor at long last. "This is what you really look like?!" Yu reacted to my change in appearance. "Yeah, it is. Anyway, Satan. Come back here for a little bit with me." I told him. "S-sure…" He went along. I whispered to him about Rei's wish. "I see, I'll do it. Besides, it'll be a good excuse for me to do this…" "Uh, do what?" "You'll see…" I was a bit freaked out by his sudden shift in tone of voice. "Yu and Rei, let's have you go over there… and here. Will you do that for me?" He asked the ghosts. "Indeedy, will do!" Yu happily responded. "Yes." Rei followed up. They went to the spot that he wanted them to go. "Alright, now don't move from that spot…" He continued. "Satan, what are you doing?" Schezo wondered with suspicion. "Oh, just watch…" He responded to his question.

Satan began to create what seemed to be a ritual circle of sorts. It ranged itself around nearly the whole room. "Anyone who is not named Yu or Rei, stay outside of this circle." He stated clearly. I, Feli, Rulue, and Schezo hopped to the area outside of it. I held Feli's hand for the duration of this. Blue flames started to light up and shine. "O god of incarnation, hear my call. I request that you create a body I picture in my mind, without spirit… so that I may fuse two spirits into one and give the incarnated body life…" The body appears before us, in a coffin. "... I request that you allow me to merge Yu and Rei's spirits together at this moment." He finished speaking. "Wait, what?" Yu questioned, looking confused. Before she knew it, the two ghosts fused into one spirit. This spirit drifted slowly into the incarnated body. The flames disappeared, one by one, until the last was gone. And then, the circle went away, only leaving behind the coffin and body. "Alrighty… I'm done, so let's see what came out of it." Satan gestured to us. "So… you have the ability to merge multiple souls into one?" Schezo was curious. "No, not me on my own. I just called upon the god of incarnation with my status as ruler of the Puyo Underworld." He answered. "That's Satan for you, he has access to some incredible things…" Rulue admired. I went over to see this new life that was created, with Feli close behind. The body was covered in cloth, so I unwrapped it until I saw the body revealed a little. I could tell that it was naked, so I didn't go through with. I figured out that this was a female body, with breasts obscured by the cloth. The body itself seemed lengthy, this girl was actually quite tall from looking at it. "Guys, this a girl…" I trailed. "This is what, Rei wanted, wasn't it? Keeping a remnant or two of Yu with this new being?" Satan brought up. "I suppose…" I took off the cloth covering the new girl's head. "! It looks like Yu, but only older…!" Feli pointed out. "Meet Yui, she has the looks and memories of Yu… however, her feelings are more natural for a human. No longer being cheery to the point where it got creepy. Plus, she has maturity and common sense now. I came up with her name by combining Yu's name and the i in Rei. Also, I figured that it would be a cute name too." Satan established, grinning and scratching his head. "Yui… that is a good name. Ah, she's breathing!" I noticed. "Having been originally two ghosts for a long time, she probably had forgotten how to breathe." Feli assumed. "That would make sense, since the dead don't need to breathe." Schezo agreed. "This Yui seems to be tall for a girl… Satan, how old is she?" Rulue asked him. "She has the body of a seventeen year-old, does that suffice as an answer, Rulue?" "Yes, it does…" I looked back at Yui, her eyes were opening. They were beautiful, the eye color was blue and green. "Mmm… Huh? Where… am I? ...! Why do I know you people? Argh! My head… What is going on? Who am I?" She wondered. "Here, girl… allow me to explain." Satan carefully caressed her head for comfort while he elaborates her situation. "So, let me get this straight… I am essentially a new person created from a pair of ghost twins, and I have the memories of the creepily happy one?" Yui waited for confirmation. "Yes, why I did this was because it was Rei's wish… ceasing to exist so that in some way, his sister would have another stab at living." He told her. "But, I'm not Yu." "You look and sound kind of like her, it's as close as we could make it. Now, Yu looked like she was only twelve or something… I had you be seventeen for a reason. That reason, was none other Dave." He finishes his explanation. "Then Dave, you must be seventeen too, right?…" Yui guessed. How I was at the time, my physical age was seventeen. However, that's only because of that one damn portal. The one that sent me to the world with Suzuran in the first place. I was supposed to be a couple of years older than that. "... Yes, that is the case, Yui." I lied. The girl tried to move before I stopped her. "Ah! Don't, you're not wearing any clothes." I stopped her. She acknowledged my warning and kept herself wrapped in the cloth as much as possible. Yui jumped to the floor from the coffin "Wooooooah, I'll need to get used to this body… Jeez, I'm tall… taller than you, Dave." She said. "Yeeeeah… let's get you some clothes, then find a place to stay. This place won't be suited for you." I advised. Schezo took one good look at her then his nose began to bleed. "Dude, are you seriously-…? Get a damn grip!" I pounded his head, becoming livid from his staring. "Ack-!" I didn't regret hurting him at that moment. He was fantasizing something with Yui in it, and whatever it was, I knew I wouldn't like it. "Wow, you didn't even hesitate with that!" Rulue was surprised. "Of course I didn't, I want this guy to stop being a pervert." I responded. "Fuck off… I'm not a pervert." He argued. "Don't even hide it... your nose bled, Dark Mage." Satan ratted him out. "! Bah! Screw all of you, I'm going back into my cave…" He told us, then left. "***sigh* **How dirty IS his mind?" Yui wondered. "It's very dirty, Yui. Trust me, I have been with him long enough to know that fact." I said. I went in to whisper another fact to her. "Don't tell anyone about this… the guy keeps quite the porn collection for himself. That's what I heard anyway, from a trusted friend of mine… I don't know how big it is." "He's not just a pervert, but a super pervert…! I don't wanna be raided by him!" "I guess so, and don't worry... I'll ward him off if I need to." I patted her head. She smiled at me for my promise of protection. "Let's go, Yui." I made myself clear. "Okay." She nodded. We all left for Primp Town, while I reminded myself of what Amitie told me back then, in the Puyo Isles. This Oshare Bones guy ran a clothing shop, he'll know exactly what will be good for Yui. At least, that's what I hoped for. "So this is what the town looks like…" I took in the visual flare. "I'm guessing you've never been here before, Dave…" Feli assumed the obvious. "Yeah, I always just go back to Suzuran when I'm done with school for the day. That's assuming if nothing else is going on." I spoke in truth. "Huh… the town's changed since the last time my former selves visited." Yui noticed. "It must have been a long time ago then." Satan joined in. "I personally haven't been to the town too much, but it always looks good." Rulue stated her opinion. "Hmm, the clothing store should be around here somewhere…" Feli double-checked. "Isn't that it right there, Feli?" I pointed. "Yes, there it is." She confirmed. Everyone nodded, then Feli, I, and Rulue went in. Satan said that he would stay behind and look after Yui for us. I saw him, the skeleton that Amitie described, Oshare Bones. His outfit was, to put it simply, dashing. I liked the hat that he had, it really fit him well. He looks at us coming in through the door. "Ah, customers!" He greeted us excitedly. "You must be Oshare Bones." I came up to him. "Why yes I am! How do you know me? I don't think I've ever seen you around before, boy." He pondered. "Well, I'm Dave." I answered. "Bless me! Are you the one that Amitie told me about? The newest student in Ms. Accord's class?" He realized. "Yeah, I am… I guess." I nodded. "I see. So what brings you guys here?" He asked us. "Well you see…" I began explaining to him the case with Yui. "Dear God! Where is the poor girl? Don't worry, no one else is here, and this won't take too long. Please bring her in if you would." He advised to us. I went outside to tell Yui to get in. "I might as well come inside too." Satan looked awkward. "! S-Satan?! You're here too?" The shopkeeper looked. "You two know each other?" I questioned. "Indeed, we go a little bit back." Oshare told me before turning over to Yui. "... That cloth is covering your face, Yui… I can't recommend clothes for you if I can't see it." He urged her to uncover her face. "Very well…" She complied. Her face became visible to him. "Huh… you look like a ghost that I know of." He noticed the similarities. "Oh… that's because I was created with Yu and her brother." Yui revealed to him. "Uh… say what now?" Oshare was confused by what she had said. "Allow me to tell you everything involving this girl, Oshare..." Satan came up to him. After much needed elaboration, the skeleton understood. "Ah, now I know what this is about. A newly incarnated girl, born from two dead spirits merging into one… I'll say this, it's not the weirdest thing I've ever heard. So, now I know what you could wear, Yui… here, try this. Go in that stall until you feel comfortable coming out." Oshare sent her inside there.

We waited there, possibly for several minutes. I assumed she wasn't used to putting on clothes either. Finally, the door slightly creaks open. "..." We looked. "Yui, you look great." I was pleased. "How are those fitting you?" Rulue asked her. "Surprisingly fine… I like them." She grinned. I definitely considered Oshare an artist after seeing this display. He clearly was an expert of fashion, no denying that. Yui now wore a long-sleeved, light-blue shirt with jeans. Her shoes were beige flats with small heels at the bottom of them. "How much is this going to cost, Oshare?" Satan wondered. "Worry not, Satan. I'll pay for Yui's clothes, I have a good amount in stock." Rulue relieved him. "Hold on, let's see what other clothes she wants first. That one lone set isn't going to be enough, you know." Oshare recommended. I agreed with him, one set of clothes is obviously not enough for one person. "Hm…" Yui slowly decided what she wanted. "I like girls, but they are slow with decision making... ***sigh***" Satan tapped his foot. "How about this, Yui?" Feli showed her a piece of clothing that she found. "Maybe." She examined it. Thirty minutes later, she was contempt with the amount of clothing. "Well, this is going to be a bigger blow to my finance than I thought…" Rulue sighed. "At least Yui has clothes now. It's been a long day for all of us." I said to her on the bright side. We went up to the counter, where Oshare calculated the total price and tax. "Your total will be... one hundred and thirty-one gold and ninety-four silver." He declared. I was curious about the currency that this world used before this came up. I guessed that gold acted like dollars, while silver did the same for cents. We paid the price and thanked Oshare. "Well it was nice meeting you, Oshare Bones. We'll be taking our leave now, bye." I waved. "It was wonderful meeting you too, Dave. You're always welcomed as a customer of mine, toodles!" He had us leave. "Thanks everyone, you've given me a life and I love it." Yui thanked us. "Aw, it's no biggie... We just did what we felt like we had to do, you know." I grinned. "Yeah, it was a no-brainer to do something like that." Feli agreed. "But still, where am I going to stay?" Yui asked. "I could take you in for the time being, my parents won't mind." Feli told her. "Oh really? Aw, you shouldn't…" She blushed. "Don't worry, Yui… I can enjoy your company with Bal." She told her. "Bal… OH! I remember him, he's that dog, right?" She reminded herself. "Well if you have established where you'll live for the time being… I'll go back to the Puyo Underworld." Satan told Yui. She nodded to him as a sign of yes. "Then I'll go back home too, it's getting late." Rulue told us. "Goodbye everyone, I'll go back home as well…" I said. "Hold on Dave, let me make you a portal back to Suzuran." Satan told me. I nodded and he created it. "Alright, catch you on the flipside, Yui!" I waved to her and jumped in. Out I came, and I saw the dusky sky over the city. "It's that dark already?" I checked the time. "Wow, 6:15… I need to get back to Ringo. I'll text her about all that has occurred today." So I did. I got a response from her almost right out of the gate. _"So wait, those two ghosts are gone, and out came a girl? I used to be afraid of the paranormal, because it was not scientific and logically sound. That's how I knew those two in case if you were wondering... Anyway, you tried to change that pervert and the result was lukewarm… I'm not surprised by that outcome. Also, I'm happy that you were able to give Yui clothes and a place for her to stay. She doesn't have any biological parents that can care for her... But, who's this Count Vyle? I've never heard of him before in my life. Could you tell me more when you return, Dave?" _Her text ended. I replied to her a _"Sure."_ and walked back. "Ah, the city's beautiful at night…" I had goosebumps piling up on my body. I finally returned from this busy day. Ringo saw me walking by to the door. "There you are… God, what am I gonna to do with you, Dave? It's almost like you need the babysitting rather than me. ***giggle* **I'm sure your hungry." "Yeah, it was an eventful afternoon… I could use some food to be revitalized, Ringo." I smiled at her. I came inside to rest up. "I'm here, Ms. Ando." I waved. "Ah, were you out protecting people today?" She guessed and smiled. "Yeah, I was going to tell Ringo about it. I must confess that the threat this time was dangerous…" I clenched my fists. "Dave? What happened while you were out there, involving this Count Vyle character?" Ringo wondered. "Ringo, Vyle put my body in a state of paralysis before I dropped to the ground… I couldn't move my arms or legs. This guy, he's a vampire lord… mentioning that he came from a world different from that of here or Primp. Just so he could go into hiding... and regain strength that he lost in a battle against Rulue when she was seventeen." "R-Rulue? One of Arle's friends?" "Yeah… and you'll never believe what I'm about to say. Within the last month of hiding before ambushing us, he gained a servant. This person who I speak of is none of than Maguro." I dropped on her. She couldn't fathom it all and her eyes widened. "W-what…? N-no… that's impossible… he was sent to prison…" "I know how hard this is to take in, but it's the truth..." Ringo started to cry and cling to me. I held on to her to make her feel better. "Worry not, Ringo. This just means I'll have to defeat him again, and it won't be that hard. Maguro only has a gun… Unfortunately, that gun did wound somebody… that person was Lemres." I continued. "L-Lemres got shot?" "In his arm, Ringo." I explained to her the rest of the story. "***sniff* **I need to set him straight, myself." "B-but that's crazy, Ringo! You don't have the ability to fight. You'll get killed without a means of attack or defense…" "I have the power inside, Dave. But in the past, it was only able to be brought out by the assistance of Puyos. That's how I defeated Ecolo back then." "That was the past, Ringo… this is the present we are talking about here." She thought about her next choice of words before speaking. "Who gave you magic power in the first place?" "You should know already... It was Ms. Accord, why ask?" "She can unlock the potential in me." It didn't even occur to me beforehand that Ms. Accord could technically open the gateway for anyone to use magic. "... Well, if you are committed to this… I won't stop you. I'll teach you combat stuff that I have learned in our spare time. I think we're going to need all the help we can get…" I finished. "Uh Dave, shouldn't you eat before it becomes too late?" Ms. Ando alerted me. "Oh goodness, thank you for reminding me! My appetite could've been thrown out of whack." I ate dinner by myself, then Ringo and I came into the shower together. "Ringo, I haven't really seen much of your sister. What's up with her?" "Oh you know, she has a job that ranges from afternoon to past midnight… That's why we don't see her for much of any normal day." "Huh… alright then. What's she like? I don't think I've ever even spoken a word to her since bunking here." "She's… I'll be blunt, a bit of an overprotective sibling, Dave. I do remember a time when I was really young… playing with her. I can't recall many details, only the thing being that she used to be adventurous. Actually, one more thing too… she always has been like an older version of me." "Makes sense, you two do look alike." The rest of the time that we were in the shower, we stayed silent. Out of the bathroom I decided to hit the bed early. "I'll see you in the morning, Ringo." I kissed her. "Alright, sweet dreams." She smiled. I wanted to fall asleep, but I felt like I had to do something else first. I took my cell phone and called somebody. "Hello?" The voice asked. "Ex, it's me." I replied. "Oh, Dave! It's a bit late for you to call, but what's up?" "Ex… we ran into somebody potentially dangerous today. I was powerless to stop him and he placed me in a state of paralysis." "H-huh?! Who did this to you?!" "Some vampire lord that now calls himself Count Vyle. He also had an underling that police arrested a month ago. If you were keeping up with the news, you would know that the guy is Maguro." "That childhood friend of Ringo's?" "Yes, him. He shot one of my friends in the arm with a gun… before we even know it was him. We had the ruler of the Puyo Underworld by our side... and even he couldn't do much of anything to the count. We need you, Ex… I want you to wait for further instruction. The next time that we encounter the count and Maguro, I'll alert you as soon as I can." Ex took a little bit of time to think things over. "Ex?" "Oh, I'm still here. Yes, I'll come when you tell me to. I'll bring Tee as-" "No, leave him behind. Someone has to look over the Tetra while you're gone. Only bring him along if it is absolutely necessary." "O-okay… I think you're right, Dave. Bringing him in would be reckless and he could be in grave danger." "Thank you, Ex. I'll be sleeping now, take care of yourself and the crew." "Alright, bye." He finished. I hung up and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave meets Yu and Rei, a pair of ghostly twins. They help him recover from paralysis and Satan fulfills Rei's wish. He fused the two ghosts into one spirit and place it into a newly incarnated body of a girl. The name Yui is given to her, then the gang went to buy her clothes. Dave met Oshare Bones too, generally liking the skeleton for his generosity and fashion sense. Back in Suzuran, Dave tells Ringo the full story and she breaks down. After a few soft-spoken words, she felt better. Before Dave fell asleep, he called Ex for help. He promised him that he'll come when he is alerted. What will happen to Dave and the rest of the cast? What is to come out of Yui's existence? Next chapter, Chapter 26: Unexpected Twist of Fate.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: Unexpected ****Twist of Fate**

**Ringo's POV**

I slept, just as Dave said he would during that Friday night. I had a dream… no, a vision had come to me in my sleep. "Ringo, you there?" "Huh? Who is that?" "Don't you recognize my voice? Heh, I guess it has been a few years… It's me." "... … E-Ecolo?!" "Yep, it's me! Glad that you haven't forgotten about me. Getting on to a more serious note though…" "Serious?" "Yes, for once… I need to be serious and warn you of the threat that is coming." "What kind of threat?" "You heard about that count guy, right? He's just a cog in a machine compared to the real danger. I don't know who or what is using him and that Maguro, but DO I know that these _"things" _are dimensional beings." "When will they strike, Ecolo?" "Even I don't know, Ringo… It could be tomorrow, or the next year for all we know. I just wanted to send this message to you in your sleep. It was the only way to get in contact with you, since I'm stuck as the keeper. I know things may seem bad, but no matter how sour the situation is… keep hold of the hope you cherish, and smile. I took over the position just to have you enjoy your life. Please… for me, have Dave protect you all he can. Could you let him, Ringie?" "Sure, but I still want to fight alongside him. It's not just his battle…" "Ah yes, the scent of betrayal is a fowl and pugnant thing. You liked Maguro as a childhood friend before he became craaaazy. I can assure you, I share your sentiment. But now, I don't have much time. I hope we get to see each other again under more... peaceful circumstances. Goodbye, Ringo." "Ah, wait-!" But, it was too late, my vision ended and I woke up. "! Was that really Ecolo…? … Nevermind, it's Saturday morning. Time to wake up Dave."

**Dave's POV**

As usual, I was woken up by Ringo for school, but she had something to tell me. "Dave, there's something I need to speak to you about." "We'll talk about it as we walk to school, Ringo." I got ready in good time. We left for the school, walking the same old path to it. "Dave, last night… I got a vision in my sleep." "The hell? A vision?" I raised an eyebrow at her, as though she was crazy. "C'mon, I'm being serious!" She pouted. "Alright, continue please. Who or what gave you that vision?" "It was Ecolo." "Ecolo?! What did he say to you?" "That count you mentioned to me… he said that Vyle was only a pawn compared to the real threat using him. This bigger force was said to be a group of dimensional beings." "A pawn that strong? If what Ecolo says is true… it won't just be us in danger, but this world and Primp Town as well…! Oh, that also reminds me, what about Ris? Did you find out what's been happening to him, Ringo?" "No, he's not answering my texts and still haven't seen him lately." "Damn, I hope he's okay..." Up ahead, we saw Feli sitting down by her lonesome. "F-Feli." I noticed. She sees us too where she sat. "Dave, Ringo…" looked up "How's Lemres? Is he being treated properly?" I hoped. "Y-yeah… he texted me last night, apparently with his good arm. He said he'll be fine in due time." I was thankful to hear that. "Thank God." I sighed in relief. "Feli, come with us to the school. I have to tell you what I told Dave." Ringo said to her. Feli became curious and walked with us. "I see... so you got a vision from this Ecolo, and he said that the count was only a mere cog?" She asked for confirmation. "Yeah Feli, I think he's telling the truth… I've never heard his voice sound so serious before." Ringo replied. "The question is though... what kind of dimensional beings are these things going to be?" I brought up. "Dunno." The two girls shrugged. "In any case, it'll be best if we prepare for the worst." I continued. They nodded to my suggestion, and we arrived at Suzuran High.

"I felt useless when I couldn't save Lemres. Granted, Maguro was and always will be a coward." Feli told us. "That's the way things tend to go down… I know that it's sad and unfair, Feli." I said and Ringo nodded. Me, Ringo, and Feli hugged until the school's bell rang. We let go and went on to our separate classes. Biochemistry was just not the same without Risukuma. Calculus was the dreadful piece of crap that it has always been. English had nothing worth noting besides me and Feli keeping silent. The same happened with the history class, except with the typical type of lecture. To put it simply, I was not having enjoyment in any of those classes. Two of my friends were not there, and I still had the thought of danger looming in my head. I had lunch, coming and going through then arrived to Primp Magic with Feli. It was just us two traveling a portal she made. The trip was bittersweet, just like the classes we stay in that day. However, we at least spoke while in that portal. "Feli, I realize how… quiet, we've been today. I get it, yesterday hit all of us like a truck. Disaster is likely to strike at any given moment. No matter what happens, we won't fully be ready…" "So that means we have to be the best that we can be…" "Yeah. People like you are fragile compared to me. I was outmatched against Vyle... and had he done that to you, rather than me… you'd probably be killed." "Dave, I don't wanna die…" She clutched my hand harder in her's. "I don't either, that's why we have to get stronger. Not just for ourselves, but our friends and family." Potions was standard this time around. Although, our instructor, Witch… she didn't know what happened to Lemres. When the bell clapped and all the other students left, she called me over. "Dave, have you seen Lemres today? He's never absent for this class." She wondered. "No. But you should know this, he's currently in the hospital after getting shot by a gun yesterday. Fear not, he's alright. Lemres is recovering from the wound as we speak." "Who would do this to him?" "I know who, and he's paired up with a dangerous foe to boot. Witch, I know this sounds unlikely, but this world is at risk of being destroyed. We could all be in the face of annihilation. And it's not just this world either… whatever we're dealing with has the power to travel between dimensions constantly." Witch wasn't sure what to say to me after I explained. "As your instructor… just… be careful. You're a good student… No, not just good. You're a student who had exceeded all of our expectations. Don't going dying after you have proven yourself." "I'll stay alive as much as I can, but if I have to sacrifice myself for the better… so be it. Actually if anything, I'm more worried about you than you are for me. Let's just promise to keep ourselves safe, alright?" "... Hahaha! You're right. Take care, then." "You too." We waved goodbye as I headed over to Accord's room. My friends were already there and said hi to me. "Hey Dave, is it true? Tarutaru told me about it... Lemres got injured?" Klug came up and asked me. "Yeah... by that prick, Maguro… but he'll be fine. I don't know when he'll be raring to go again… Despite that, I know he's in capable hands. So Klug, everything's going to be just fine." I said. That seemed to make him feel much better, and he thanked me. I took my seat before the bell clapped. Class started on an unexpected note, I didn't see this coming. "Kiddies, we have a new student joining us today. This is not for any reason you would initially think. This is due to a student, not from this class, requesting this person to be here. I heard the whole story and decided to take in this newcomer. This also changes the focus of the class back over to combat for days or even weeks. Depends on the outcome that things will go." I heard a few murmurs of confusion from that last statement Accord made.

To be honest, I was confused with the direction that the class was taking too. "I understand your thoughts, truly, I do. However, I felt like this was absolutely necessary. So that means Ms. Rulue is back as well for this. She also knows about what happened... and Dave, you should know too." "M-me?" "Yes, what had transpired yesterday… The injuring of the comet warlock, the appearance of a scary and powerful enemy, and your paralysis." "!" I understood why she was doing this now. "You know?!" I reacted. "One of your sweethearts, Feli… she told me that I should recruit another student for this class. You know this person too, since you just met her yesterday." She explained. "W-wait, you mean?!" I caught on. "Correct, you can come in now." Accord opened the door. "Yui?!" My guess was confirmed, Yui joined the class. I didn't know what kind of powers she had, if any, so I was sitting there, stupefied. "Heh, I guess Feli didn't tell you, judging by your face." She smiled. "Who's that, Dave?" Amitie wondered. "Yeah, just who is she?" Raffina asked. "She's tall…" Lidelle remarked. "Yes, Dave. I think you would be the best person to introduce us to Yui." Accord told me. "***sigh* **Fine, if you're all so curious… then I guess there's no use turtling up in my shell. ***throat clear* **This is Yui, an incarnated human... created by the ruler of the Puyo Underworld calling out for the god of incarnation. She was formerly two ghosts before being fused into becoming her spirit, Yu and Rei." I saw a hand raise from Raffina. "Yes?" I acknowledged. "You mean the brother and sister ghosts that were inseparable... where the sister was blissfully happy, and the brother was utterly depressed?" "Yes Raffina, Yui is the product of those two, carrying some physical traits of Yu. The hair color for instance, is the same. Yui is what Yu would've looked like if she had grown to be the age that I am now, seventeen. Fun fact, her name was formed as a combination of Yu and Rei's names. And that is all that I know about her, as of now, so I'll take my seat." I ended. "Good. Now Yui, you have something that you want to show us?" Accord asked her. "Yeah, let's go outside so that I can." Yui requested. "I mean... I guessed that we were going outside anyway, so that shouldn't be an issue." I stated. Everyone else nodded and we left to go outside. "Let's see what you can do, Yui." I said. She closed her eyes, then concentrated to form her power. "Oooooooough!" She was lifting a boulder without moving a finger. "Is that…?" Klug stopped. "It might just be, man… Psychokinesis." I observed. "This is astonishing." Tarutaru commented. She put the boulder down slowly after that short period. "Cool…! Do you carry any other tricks?" Amitie asked Yui. "I have the power to possess people by slipping inside their bodies. But, it's not something that I can just abuse. For it to work, the person I want to be possessed HAS to be either unaware that I'm doing it… or they let me do it to them. Keep this in mind too, I'll only be able to possess others for a short time span. It takes a lot of energy to retain. So, who wants to be a guinea pig for this?" I decided to be the one, since no one else felt fine with it. "I'll be the guinea pig, Yui." I told her. "Sure, just don't have your mind resist possession. If it helps, you might want to close your eyes and breathe calmly, Dave." "Okay… breathe in… breathe out." I closed my eyes and prepared. Before I knew it, my mind went blank.

**Yui's POV**

Just like that, I was controlling Dave, as though his body was mine. Looking at his hands, feeling what he normally feels. "Well, it feels weird to be a girl controlling a guy's body… It's a lot easier to breathe without breasts weighing the chest down." I said with Dave's voice. "... … …" His friends stood there, speechless at this for a solid minute. "... What… the hell…?" Ms. Rulue finally spoke. "Yui, is that really you in there?" Amitie wanted to know for sure. "Yeah it's me, let me show you." I used my psychokinesis to move the same boulder from earlier. "!" They realized that it was indeed me controlling the body. "Wicked!" She was awestruck. "That is so freaky…" Klug shivered. "Agreed, imagine if a guy had this kind of ability and possessed girls exclusively… It would be so perverted!" Raffina grimaced. "Then you should be thankful that only Yui can do it, Raffina." Ms. Accord told her. "Alright, I think I'll leave his body now." I announced. I slipped out of Dave and waited for him to regain his senses.

**Dave's POV**

"... ! What happened? It felt like my mind went blank for a brief moment…" I expressed. "That, Dave... is what it feels like to be possessed." Yui explained to me. "It's strange… and vexing that I can't experience it in the moment." I felt. "Well if it makes you feel any better... I can do everything that the possessed normally does, in addition to my psychokinesis." She cheered me up. "So wait, so you can fight like us if we let you possess us?" Klug asked. "Sure I can, that's my biggest asset to use in the field of battle. Otherwise, I can't do much on my own at this time." She answered. "Hence why she needs combat training for when she IS alone." Accord established. "So that's the other reason why you brought me back here today…" Rulue figured out. "So Yui's going to be trained with with us then?" I asked Accord. "Well, she will be half and half… She'll warm up, training with Amitie, Klug, and Lidelle until I say for her to go with you." "I see then, Ms. Accord…" We went underway with training, splitting up. "Alright, what you three will be doing today is looking out for your comrades. So Dave, I want you to cover for Raffina and Tarutaru, as they try to land a hit on me. You can use anything you wish to help them." Rulue told me. "Sure." I nodded. I came through with my strong armor so that I could fly above the battle. "Raffina and Tarutaru, well… your part in this exercise is self-explanatory. Now, come at me!" She started. My friends charged at her, right from the start. "Ha, you two are so predictable." She commented. "Look out!" I called. "Lightning Clap!" My lightning got in between them. "You should learn a thing or two from Dave, he's more aware of stuff going on around him." Rulue mocked them. "Stay calm, you two... she's just trying to get under your skins." I spoke with reason. This continued on for a while longer. I did a good job of keeping them away from Rulue's attacks. At one point, I saw her sneak up on Tarutaru. "Tarutaru, look sharp! One hundred and eighty degrees!" I warned. He took a glimpse and grabbed her, but not for long. "Tight grip there, but your body weight allows you to be toppled easily... given enough force that is." She spoke. "! Release her and protect yourself by morphing, quickly!" I exclaimed. He did it just in time, and turned into a ball. "H-huh? When did he have this?" Rulue didn't see this happen the first time, since she defeated Tarutaru and Raffina so effortlessly. With my leadership, I was able to guide the guy to be more evasive. "Heh, since the first time that I faced him, Ms. Rulue. You brought him down so fast in the first exercise, he could not focus at all. From that fight, it didn't even occur to him that he was able to morph into a ball." My mind then formulated a plan to land a strike on Rulue. "Raffina! Kick Tarutaru as he is now, and propel him like a projectile!" I ordered. "What? Why?" "Just do it, trust in me, Raffina." She went along with doing it and breathes in. "Alright. ... Rainbow… Ball… Deluxe!" Tarutaru went flying, homing in on Rulue. She saw and went on the defensive, holding him back as he collided with her arms. "Hrrrrr….!" She struggled, but in the end, the combo attack was too much to handle. "Gyaaaah!" She flew back a few feet, hard landing on the ground, and bruised. Tarutaru turned back to normal, catching his own fall. "You did it, guys!" I was proud of them. I came back down and my armor disappeared. However, I took one look at Rulue… "! She's not getting up…!" I noticed. I ran up to her, to see the damage.

I shook her body to hopefully get a word out of her. "M-Ms. Rulue… Ms. Rulue!" I called. "***groan*** D-Dave…?" "Ms. Rulue, are you okay?" "Heh… heheheh. Worry not, I'll be fine… You did a fantastic job… leading those two to success. Alone... neither of them could hit me, but you created their teamwork and it allowed them to overcome this obstacle... me. Boy, when you have time to think, you are THE battle strategizing prodigy." "Y-you praise me? Thank you…" I smiled at her praising me. I felt a hand touch my shoulder. Looking behind, I saw Yui standing there. "O-Oh, Yui! How long were you there for?" I jumped a little. "Since I saw you form that combo for your friends… it was a spectacle to watch." She said. "Uh huh… Well, I dunno how we can get this part of your training through now… Ms. Rulue's kinda bruised." I told her. "Dave... have Yui test out her psycho-whatever on you." Rulue suggested. "I guess that could work for now… Welp, time to put on the armor again!" I went along. "Dave, how tough is that armor of yours?" Yui wondered. "It's quite tough, about the hardness level of a diamond, I would say. Does that satisfy your question?" "Yes… yes it does." Yui nodded to me. "Ms. Rulue, you should get far away from here." I said to her. She nodded and my friends carried her away. "Good, now that she's safe… try me, Yui." I posed. "You know, for a nice guy… you can really push someone's buttons. You asked for it, don't say I didn't warn you ahead of time." After she made that clear, I flew in the air to have more mobility. "What? You're gonna be a scaredy-cat and fly? C'mon, be a man!" "Yui, as tough as the armor is… I'm not going to just stand around, tanking blows all session. You'll have to aim at me as a moving target if you want that!" That might have been an unintentional taunt, because that sentence provoked her. "How… arrogant! I'll blast you outta the sky, Dave!" A mind-thrown rock, almost the size of my head, wizzes past me with an irritated feel. "Uh oh…" I realized that I had made a huge mistake, running my big mouth. "H-hey! I was only kidding, don't take that into heart!" "Only kidding?! Please, you wouldn't have said it in the first place if you were just kidding. At least say things in a more playful tone next time! Now, you'll regret making yourself known to me as a stuck-up jerk who flaunts at people!" She continued launching rocks and other hard objects at me. "I'm telling you, I was not flaunting at all-! Eeyah!" "Yes you were, jackass! Don't deny it!" I flapped as fast as I could evading her rage-filled assaults. "Crap! This bitch is never going to let up at this rate. I must find a way to stop her before she kills somebody by accident!" I said to myself. I thought about how I would do it while still dodging. "That's it…! I need to approach her. Distancing myself from Yui will only make things worse. It was what I was taught in that other exercise. She won't be able to do much if I get close. Well, here goes nothing!" She saw me closing in on her. "What do you think you're doing now?!" "Yui, this is for your own good. I didn't want to do this, but you left me with no other option!" I dashed in the air toward the girl, then held her down firmly after crashing. "Gyah-! … …" She struggled, then open her eyes. Yui's face lit up in embarrassment from what she saw. I didn't see it at first, but once she screamed, I looked down. "Aaaah! What the hell is wrong with you?!" "? … … ... Huh?!" My hands were on her breasts. "A-a-ah! Sorry! I most certainly did NOT mean to do that!" "You… PERV!" She used her psychokinesis to rip through my armor at a slow pace. "! Wh-wh-what is this?!" My face was then exposed to her. "Eat this!" Yui punched my face multiple times until it was beaten to death and bloody. "S-stop! Please! I beg of you!" "Why should I show you mercy?!" "Because... we all need each other to fight the count and… save the world. Please believe me when I say this, Yui… ***sob* **I… didn't mean to offend you. I apologize, dearly… I'll do whatever you want me to do after this class is through. Anything that you request… I'll do it without question or hesitation. Your body is graceful and beautiful... I would never soil it. What do you say… Yui?" "What do I... say? Well… you do look sincere… Fine, I'll forgive you if you do what I say. Also, I'm sorry about beating your face in." "What…? Why?" "I realize I was going overboard with my rage. The least I can do is get you to a healer… BUT, don't think for a second that it is an act of kindness. I'm doing this because I feel like I have to." I managed to calm her down, but she wouldn't happily talk to me for a while.

My school day ended after healing, so I went back to Suzuran. Coming out from the portal, I got a text from Ringo. _"Dave, this is bad. I went to Ris' place to see if he was alright, but it looks like a fever got to him first. Where are you right now?" _I texted back to her a response shortly after. _"Ringo, I just came out of a portal from Primp. I'm by the northern part of the shopping district. Damn, why didn't I see this coming?" _She makes another text following mine. _"I'll come get you since you don't know the way to his home." _I was forced to wait as Ringo found me some time later. "C'mon, there's no time to waste." She said. I nodded to her and we ran as fast as our legs could do. We made it to Risukuma's house. "This is his home?" I questioned. "No time, Dave! Get in!" "Okay, jeez." His home was a towering tree that stretched several meters up to the sky. "He's over here." She showed me. "R-Ris!" Ringo told me that the bear had a fever, but never had I imagined it to be this bad. He laid in bed, with heavy breaths to his name. "... … He's burning up badly, shit…" I gritted my teeth. Risukuma noticed me standing there with him. "D-Dave…?" "Ris! What is this potent fever all about?" "Re...member what happened… to me, involving that ant bite…? The… one from the Puyo Isles?" "Yes! That was a terrible experience for you, my friend! … Why do you ask?" " That ant… it must have infected me... with a disease. I tried to figure out what disease it was... but my illness got in the way. Do me one favor, Dave… please… See that syringe? Puncture my skin… and draw out some of my blood. The virus... should be all around my bloodstream by now." "But-! What do we do with the blood after getting it?" "There's someone, another bear-person… who might be able to help you. His name is Akuma… and he lives back in that Primp place. I'm sure that if you ask around… you'll find him. He's intelligent like me, even more so." He finished. "Alright… we can do that. Ringo, draw out his blood… I don't feel comfortable doing it." I stood back. "If you insist, Dave." She took the syringe and poked it in Risukuma. The blood was extracted and contained safely. "Ris, I swear… I will cure you of this mystery viral infection. You just get some rest, your gonna need it." Ringo swore to him as he fell asleep. "I'll hold on to that for now… let's go, Ringo." "Right." She gave me the sample of Risukuma's blood to hold. We left Suzuran and searched around Primp for Akuma. We saw Amitie walking around, to which Ringo got her attention. "There's Amitie…! Amitie! You think you could help us find someone?" She called to her. "Oh Ringo! Sure, who are you looking for?" "One who's called Akuma." "Akuma… … I know where he is! Follow me, guys!" My mood started to lighten up a little after finding where he was so effortlessly. "A… public library?" I squinted. "He's the librarian, one of the smartest people I know in the town. If you need knowledge, he'll likely have the answers for you." Amitie explained. "Well uh… let's go talk to him then, with you by our side I take it?" I readied. "Of course! I'm always happy to help any of my best friends." She told us. We went inside the library, of course… we kept manners in mind and stayed quiet. We saw a dark-colored creature moving about, switching book spots on the shelves. Amitie pointed at him and turned to us. We nodded, for we now knew that this had to be Akuma.

She went in to speak to him on a piano volume. "Excuse me, Akuma?" "Ah, why if it isn't Amitie… what are you doing here, ma?" "My friends told me that they need your help." "Do they now, ma?" Me and Ringo came up to him. "My, I don't think I know who you two are…" He observed. "I am Dave, and this is Ringo. We are friends of Risukuma, and have come for your aid. You see, our friend grew ill from an ant bite. Ordinarily, he would have looked into the virus itself… but he was too weak to do it. By the time he discovered it, he was practically bedridden. It was because of this, that we turned to you." I said. "I see, ma… Although, I'm not a scientist like Risukuma. It'll take me some time to investigate this, but I at least have the means to do it. Do you have a sample of his DNA, ma?" He laid down. "Yes, in this… is his blood, Akuma." I flashed the needle. "Then follow me to the back, boy and girls." He gestured. He led us the way to a separate room in the back of the library. "There should be a microscope in here, ma. Boy, hand me that for the time being." He held out his paw. "Here it is." "Wait for me to finish this, ma." As he said, we waited for about fifteen to twenty minutes. "I have figured out what this virus is, ma." He said. "What is it then, Akuma?" Ringo asked. "The Sandy Snare, a rare disease that only comes from the bite of an ant with the color of sand." He presented us. "! That's the species he was bitten by." I looked. "He will be dead in a matter of a week if it is left untreated, ma. Luckily for us, I know the way to treat it and I have what we need too." Akuma began rummaging around the room for what he meant. "Ah here it is… It will be a slow recovery, but it's the only way, ma. Just inject this in him... it will kill the virus off, periodically." He gave me. "Thank you, Akuma. We'll be heading off now…" I took it. We left the library and talked. "Gosh, I didn't know that Risukuna had gone ill. It'll be fine though, we have what we need to save him!" Amitie pulled herself together. "Yeah well, see you back in Accord's class tomorrow, Amitie." I waved. "Have a safe trip, Dave and Ringo!" We returned to Risukuma's house in Suzuran and injected him the cure. "Ris, this won't fix things right off the bat… however, I can assure you that you're safe now." I spoke to him. "Yeah, your body will recover eventually, Ris… We'll be going back home now." Ringo said. "W-wait… I need somebody to feed me… I live alone and I still can't... move from my bed." He said. "Alright… what do you want, Ris?" I asked. "Just a bowl of honey... that will suffice." He answered. "A bowl of honey? That's it?" I raised an eyebrow. "To bears, Dave… honey is nectar from the gods, almost as important as water." "I-I see." "There's a stash of honey around this house… in jars. You should be able to find one." We looked for a single jar of honey to pour into a bowl. "Sweet, found one." Ringo reached out. "Nice. Let's pour this stuff into a bowl and give it to him." I said to her. The rest of the night came and went as you would expect. We gave the bear honey, left and found ourselves back home. After doing everything else, we ate, bathed, and slept.

A single month has passed since that day. Me and my friends trained the hardest we could, to be strong warriors. Lemres' wound had healed completely by this time. Risukuma meanwhile, has been doing fine and going back to school. Schezo hasn't been easing himself too much into making friends, but he was getting closer. I trained my body for the judgment day closing in on all of us. Ringo consulted Accord for aid, so that she could fight along with us. Just like me, she turned her into a stand-alone magic user. Her specialty, commanding lightning and electricity under sheer will. To put it as a title, Ringo was from that point and onward, a lightning sorceress. She also became part of Accord's class, to be with me, Amitie, and the others too. Eight students, two instructors, Feli, a comet warlock, one dark mage, and Ex all waiting in the wings. We waited for Count Vyle, Maguro, and potentially, the larger threat looming over them to appear.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends trained all they could, to have the chance to take down the count and Maguro. Dave in particular was looking in to pass his own limits and go beyond. Who will prevail in the end? How will this decisive battle play out? Next chapter, Chapter 27: The Count's Vengeance. **


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: The ****Count's Vengeance**

**Schezo's POV**

It was a dark and stormy night in the woods. I had just gotten back by my cave after slaying a few Puyos. There, I saw a mysterious figure attempting to go in the entrance. I called out the figure in anger. "Hey, who are you?! What do you think your doing, loitering about and going into my cave?!" The figure turned around, but did not reply to me. "Fine, if you are going to be like that… Light!" I cast a ball of light to see who this person was. "Wait… aren't you that vampire lord's subordinate?" It was at that moment, the guy finally spoke to me. "Yeah, I am. I remember you too… you're the dark mage from that day." "Wait, how do you know that?" "The count sensed the evil in you, that's what he told me." "Why are you here?" "I figured that I could find a hideout for the both of us. That cave would've done, with its size and all." "I hate to break it to you, but this is my home. Back off!" "Y'know, I don't think I like that tongue of yours. I'll just have to take it away from ya… by force!" "Try me, runt. I have a sword that can make mincemeat out of you." "I have a gun though, there'll be a bullet in your brain by the time ya try swingin' it." "Go right ahead then, let's see what happens." "Ya asked for death yourself, time to die!" ***bang* **One bullet did not even faze me. "Heh. I think you need to check my body. As you can see... there isn't a gunshot wound on me." "Wha-? H-how's this possible?!" "Pipsqueak, I have a barrier that shields me of any man-made projectiles. In other words, your gun's bullets." "B-bullshit!" He continued firing round after round, but none were able to touch me. "I told you, I'm impervious to crap like that." "Sh-shit!" He was panicking and breathing heavily from this. "For trying to take my cave, you and that count, as well as trying so desperately to kill me… you'll be my next victim. Prepare to face retribution for the evil doing that you have done… while being a servant for both Dioge and Count Vyle!" "Ya knew that I was Dioge's-?!" "It's thanks to people like Dave that I know about these things happening." "You're acquainted with Dave...? … Daaaamn yooooou!" "I send death upon thee, DIE!" I lopped off the head from his body, like a sideways guillotine. Blood splattered everywhere in the vicinity of that cadaver, twitching before it fell to the ground. The head's face continuously looked at me, creepily. "Well, I wonder how Vyle will react to this… That's IF he finds out that is. ***sigh* **I guess I'll clean this blood up from my clothes and sword with rainwater. And, that'll be one less worry for Dave and his companions…" I went back in my cave to relax, and to look at some porn. "Meh. That doesn't turn me on…" This continued throughout the night, as I sat around in my underwear, cold.

**Dave's POV**

I went through most of next school week feeling bored. Me and my friends made the most of the mundane environment by chatting. Midterms were almost in sight to study for. During lunch, I worked on some of my work from calculus, as Lemres and Feli watched my frustration build up. "Damn these equations, they don't make any sense!" I spoke my mind. "That just looks like a bunch of gibberish to me." Lemres said. "Of course it does, Warlock Obvious. How the hell is a normal person supposed to know what all of this amounts to?!" I was going crazy from these numbers and symbols. "Shit, I dunno what this is either… and I have some understanding of harder math." Feli told us. "Argh! This is almost as bad as the algebra II stuff I did back in my world! ***sigh*** Fuck it. I'll give up on this until Ringo can come around to be with me." I eased. "So… those midterms…" Lemres brought up. "Yeah, Lemres. We must prepare for those, even the subjects that we're complete garbage at. We worked hard all this time, failures in our classes will be a no-go. Our grades need to stay above the D range if we want to be in smooth sailing. If we get at least Cs all around the board... we'll be okay until final exams come at the end of the semester." I envisioned. "At least Cs, eh? Even I know it won't be easy." Lemres thought. "I think I'll be fine, but you two need to step things up in places." Feli remarked. "Once Ringo has me mentally ready for the calculus midterm, I'll be alright. Lemres, although you have improved substantially over this time... the best grades that you have received were of C minus. Considering your early grades were Fs in full, that's not good. You would need to ace all of your midterms if you want that C grade average. Keep in mind, that's IF you also get Bs at the very least on everything else leading up to the final exams." "Yeah, yeah… I got it Dave. I've been puddin' a lot more effort into this work. In any case, it would be best to have it stay that way, dude." Lemres nodded to me. Me, Lemres, and Feli left for Primp Magic and enter the potions class. Witch was teaching us the importance of finesse in potion making. "It's crucial that you keep a steady hand when adding ingredients, class. One wrong move, and it'll spell doom for you. Also, don't panic if mixtures react to things easily. The best thing to do is to stay calm and slowly bring the mix to a stable state." She demonstrated. "What about in the case objects being reactive, rather than the potion mix, Instructor?" A random student raised their hand. "Same procedure, but it's a little more manageable in that instance." She answered. Then, something happened that no one in the room, or even in the school would have predicted. ***crash* **"Wh-what was that?!" Witch jumped. We all saw the rubble coming down next to her from a wall. I looked closely at what was in the dust, and I was in shock. "***gasp* **Damn, it's him! Instructor, run away!" I exclaimed. "D-Dave? What do mean, him?" She asked me. "He's part of the threat that I told you about! It's the vampire lord, Count Vyle!" I screeched. "Ah, it's you. I'll be honest with you, Demonic Dragon… I didn't expect you to be at a place like this. A school…? No matter. You are not the reason why I came. I wanted to know where my faithful servant has gone to." He spoke to me. "You mean Maguro…? Regardless, I know not of his movements." I answered. "Hmm, you don't seem to be lying… only just as clueless as I am with his whereabouts. Still, I could kill you right here in front of all these pupils. How would they be, knowing that you'll die by my hand? Would they scream of bloody murder... or will the death be so horrific that they will be standing there, unable to let out the smallest of squeaks?" Vyle proposed. "Why you-!" I tried staying rational. "Or, maybe I should just discard THEM in your stead… that should make you go ballistic. Or, maybe this little teacher over here. Kehehehe." He laughed. "Bastard! If you lay one finger on her, I'll send you to the coldest depths of the Puyo Underworld by my own hand! There, you will reside in solitude for all eternity. A person- No, a creature like yourself does not deserve a second chance or pity." I lost my mind. "H-hold on, Dave. Think about what you're saying, you are not someone who kills." Feli tried to stop me. "It doesn't matter right now, Feli. Vyle is no human, he's the vampire lord. Vampires are meant to be purged from the world!" I made my choice. "That's awfully prejudiced of you to say... and hypocritical as well. Think about it, you are no human either. You know it yourself, you are a demon." The count scoffed. "Shut up! I'm one thousand times more human than you ever were and will be, Count. My heart is not filled with evil, greed, or anything along those words. It's righteous, brave, and pure unlike your disgusting vampiric organ!" I argued. "You think that I should be purged because you fear me, not because I'm evil. You are starting to vex me with your idiocy and cowardice, Demonic Dragon. I'll take this young lady here as a consolation prize. If you want to take me down, come to the forest. I have a special plan waiting to hatch and unleash on you." He grabbed her. "H-hey! Unhand me you-!" Witch struggled. Count Vyle then vanished in a blink of an eye. "No, wait-! … Shit!" I threw out my hand. "The douche took the instructor hostage!" Lemres raised his voice sternly. "What did that guy do?!" A random student hollered. The whole class erupted in screams and unease. The cacophony of them was difficult to shut off. "Siiiiiiiilence!" I yelled. The other students zipped it from hearing my voice. "***sigh* **Thank you. We can't sit here being scared of the unknown. That dick took our dear instructor and we need to get her back at all costs. I don't know about the lot of you, but I feel inclined to fight Vyle to save her. For the ones here who are brave enough to venture with us, join in this. I know that Lemres and Feli will be with me to the bitter end." I stood there, heroically. "Damn straight, Dave!" They agreed. "I must thank you, my friends… ... What about you guys? It's okay if you don't feel like you're ready. Not everyone associated with magic is fit for combat. But, if anyone here has the kind of valor that we have, it would be great if you can assist us. I'll be waiting here for a few minutes should any of you want to take part." I finished.

Talking among the random students began once again, on the topic of deciding what to do. Accord showed up through the wall, shocked. "! M-Ms. Accord! It's terrible, Count Vyle came here and kidnapped this class' instructor. I had these students decide what they wanted to do about this. We're going to need all magical power we can get." I told her. "Oh my goodness… then it's time to act and fight back. We must save that instructor and our school as well." She said. "Damn… this place is a wreck." Rulue popped in. "Ms. Rulue!" I saw her. "Ms. Rulue, the count came by and…" Accord spoke to her. "Say no more, I saw him flying high in the sky… carrying Witch. She looked so petrified..." Rulue mentioned. "If this was strictly an aerial battle, I would be the only one, besides Satan, who could fight with him in midair. But the issue is raised from those damn bats… A month ago, they electrocuted my arms and legs before I could do anything. It transformed me into a ragdoll with bacon for limbs in a matter of seconds. I can't afford to be hit by them a second time…" I covered one of my eyes with a hand and gritted my teeth. "Which is why I'm going to be with you as protection from that." A familiar voice spoke. "Huh? Wait… I know that voice… Yui...?" I assumed. "Yeah, it's me. My psychokinesis should help against those pint-sized assholes. I'll make sure that they never touch anyone." She promised. "Alright then, but Feli… what can you do? I've been with you for a while now, but I haven't really seen you fight too much." I wondered. "Relax, it'll be fine. You heard the rumors?" She grabbed my hand. "Roughly, you look imposing to those who provoke you, right?" I recalled. "Not just look, but fight with intimidation too. You're quite lucky to never see me in that state. I'm sure you would be quivering like all the others." She finished. "Maybe he hasn't Feli, but you're badass in that way." Lemres patted her head. "As long as you can fight, we're in this thing together. And you guys... time to make a decision for yourselves. What is your stance in all this." I worded in a serious tone. "We'll protect the school, but that's all we'll do. Whatever that guy's deal is… he's your problem." One male student said to me. "***sigh*** Fair enough, I suppose… I guess it leaves just us and the others." I turned to my friends and instructors, to which they nodded. "Let's go then, Dave. We do not have a lot of time here." Accord walked away. "Hey, wait for us!" I yelled and ran off after her. Lemres, Feli, Yui, and Rulue follow behind me. We came to Accord's classroom, but the others weren't around. "Your classmates are not here yet, Dave." She said. "Then where are they?" I asked. "Around the school somewhere, I'm certain… They will come running in here eventually with the chaos outside." She answered my concern. "Ms. Accord! What the heck is happening?! I don't understand what's going on!" Amitie ran in. "At ease, Amitie. We chose to gather here to get everyone caught up to speed." She calmed her down. "Dave!" A voice called out. "! Ringo! Thank God you're not hurt or anything!" I saw her come through with the rest of the ensemble, then hugged me. "Dave, this whole thing is scary…" She shivered in fear. "Ringo, we'll be undoing all of this, I promise. Most things will go back to how it was before today." I stroked her hair. "Kiddies, now that you are all here… I need to say that I neglected to tell you the full reason why I got Yui and Ringo as new students in this class. I mentioned the powerful foe and Dave's paralysis, but not the who or how." Accord spoke to my classmates. "W-what reason could it be?" Klug wondered. Accord told them about Count Vyle, his origin, and history with Rulue, and then how he zapped my limbs. Then she let on about the kidnapping of Witch. "This count sounds like an unruly king of not-so-spooky scum." Raffina felt annoyed. "H-he seems so terrible…" Lidelle shook. "He has no place in this world!" Tarutaru made a solid stance. "I agree with you, Tarutaru." Klug nodded to him. "We have to stop him, who knows what he might do to the school and eventually all of Primp Town..." Amitie stood up. "And the only way to stop him is to kill him for good. Remember that he isn't human, only a heartless monster. He said that he would be waiting in the forest to face us. Let's go before he get away with anything else." I continued for her. Everybody nodded to me as we all put our hands in the middle. "Guys, this battle will determine the fate of Primp as we know it. Let us stick together until the bitter end and triumph over the evil. I will ask this only once, who here is ready to risk their lives for this cause?" I established. "You should know, dude. We're all your irreplaceable buddies, through and through." Lemres smiled. "Heh, you're right on the nose there… well then. Let's head inside that forest and defeat Count Vyle." I finished. "Yeah!" Everyone went along. "Then, let's get the dark mage. We'll be in better shape if we have him." Lemres suggested. "Are you sure? He's still rather fickle…" Feli questioned him. "He is, but given the right twists… he could come with us on his own terms." I thought. The entire group and I went outside and deep in the woods to retrieve Schezo. "Okay, the cave should be here from what I remember… there it is!" I came to the realization. "Stand back fellas, I'm goin' in by myself." Lemres proclaimed. We waited for him to return.

**Lemres' POV**

I made my way through the cave to find the dark mage. At last, I saw him lookin' through _"you know what"_. "Jeez... I knew you were a predator for sexy things, but I assumed that it was just lil' part of you." I spoke. He jumped after hearin' my voice close to him. "Ah-! Comet Warlock! What brings you to my PRIVATE home?!" He screamed. "***sigh*** 'Lax, Dark Mage. It's about that count dude, he's being runnin' amok. He'll be a threat to Primp Town if we don't stop him. This is why we need 'chu." I told him. "Pass. This concerns me not… Why should I risk my life for something that I was never involved with or cared for? Since I spoke my mind to you… how about you get the hell out of my sight?" He sneered at me. "I wasn't askin' you, Dark Mage… this is a demand." I said to him with a stern look. "Tch. You should know that I do not go through with demands... If you want me to come, then do so by force. I only do things that directly benefit me, do you understand?!" He angrily yelled. "Dammit, Schezo! This isn't the time to refuse! Look, I know that this isn't of your best interest… but still! Vyle could kill ya too when you're all alone. By that point, he would've destroyed the entirety of Primp and these woods… along with the deaths of thousands of people. Think about it like this… you weren't able to take out Dave and his armor, no matter how hard ya tried. This same dude didn't stand a chance against Vyle one month ago, when he first saw him. That's from what he told me anyway… You were there with Dave, so surely you must've seen it happen." I tried to convince him. "So… you have said my actual name for once. You said that he will murder me easily without help from you guys… Is that what you think will happen if I don't join? So be it, I would rather be killed with the little dignity I have left… than to fight against him with you lot!" He stubbornly insisted. "Schezooooo! Stop bein' such a baby! A real man doesn't fuckin' give in to death's bone-chillin' grip. Besides that, you'd be actually losin' all dignity if you won't help Dave. He helped you out from those ragin' Puyos... in his weakened state from back then! I don't give a shit if you are like this, at least return him the favor!" Those words might've meant somethin' to him, cuz he stood and geared up. "***sigh* **Fine, you win. I'll come too." He said, pickin' up his sword. "Looks like ya finally chan-" I was interrupted. "Don't say anything, Comet Warlock. Just do not say a single solitary thing." He glared at me. We walked outside to see Dave and the others.

**Dave's POV**

Lemres came out of the cave with Schezo. "! You actually got him to come along?" I was shocked. "Yeah, it took a bit, but he chose it in the end." He told me. "We do not have the time to be talking, Comet Warlock. Speaking of the count, where is he?" Schezo got him back to the current event. "Well, Dave said that he was somewhere in these woods… but I guess Vyle never specified the where part." Lemres explained to him. "I have the power to sense powerful auras, let's see if I can feel his…" The dark mage concentrated. "... … … Hmm. Ah-! I-I found it! He's even more powerful than I could imagine! Follow me, but with extreme caution." Schezo ran. We followed after him, knowing to keep our distance. It took him a while, but he finally stopped. There, we saw a huge building going up high into the sky. "That's funny, how did we not see this structure from a distance?" I wondered. "It might have a barrier wrapped around, making it so that it cannot be seen in that way." Accord figured. "Anyway, there's no doubt that the count is inside!" Ringo itched for a fight. "Hold up, this sorry excuse for a hideout could be filled with booby traps, Ringo. Vyle doesn't seem to be somebody who would fight head-on, unless if he has no choice." I stopped her. "Hm. Yes, deception does seem to be more of his element. Trust me, I fought against him in the past." Rulue agreed with me. "No tricks of his are gonna ruin my new life." Yui commented. "This is like when we faced my father, Dioge… The bad guy hides deep in the forest and we beat him up. Wow... this has truly gone full-circle." Klug took in. "Yeah, exactly like that time…" Raffina came up to him. We saw the door to the place open up automatically. "Ah-! The door opened by itself!" Amitie freaked out. "Amitie, he's been expecting us… it's only natural that the door would open." Feli told her. "Brrgh… It must be cold in there…" I took note of. "Well, let's get in there and end this quickly." Schezo paced to the door. "Hold on, I need to call someone first, Schezo." I told him. He stopped and I took out my cell phone. I punched in his number and waited. "... … … Hello?" "Ex, it's me." "Ah, Dave. It's been about a month since we last-" "About that, Ex… he's made his move." "The count?!" "Yeah, he fled to Primp's forest after taking a… teacher of mine hostage." "Oh God, don't tell me… the hostage is Ms. Accord, isn't it?" "No, this is a different teacher from Primp Magic, Ex. Anyway, are you ready to come here and find us?" "I'll be good to go in a few minutes… the Tetra's been having minor setbacks lately. We can find you using the Tetra's bio-sensor." "Godspeed then, we don't have much time." "Yeah, Dave. I'll hang it up then." Our conversation ended.

**Ex's POV**

"Alright then…" I murmured. I came up to the cockpit of the Tetra. "All hands on deck, crew! We're making an immediate beeline to Primp Town's forest! Warp speed!" I announced. "What? Captain, why?" Tee wondered. "Yes, this does seem to be out of the blue… why would you want us to amble off to there?" Ai agreed. "A sudden neural change has taken shape in you, Captain. Are you alright?" Zed noticed. "Pipipi!" O scrambled. "That's odd…" Ess thought. "We want to know, Captain Ex." Jay and Elle both said. "It's because of Dave, guys… he's gotten himself in another jam. This is a very dangerous mission for me to partake in. For this reason… Tee, I want you to hold down the fort and keep the rest of the crew from being harmed. O, assist him in anyway possible. Zed, be a lookout for the exterior. Jay and Elle, you two are going to provide backup for Zed, should he be the target of an attack. Ai, keep the ship in good shape. Ess, provide an escape route if those three can't fend off from any attackers. Am I clear with my direct orders?" I waited for answers. "Yes, Captain!" Tee complied. "Pi pi!" O hollered. Everybody else nodded to my current orders. "Good, I'll be going soon… Ah, I see him. Open the hatch!" The hatch became loose and I looked back at the crew. "Stay safe, everyone." I waved to them, then jumped off of the Tetra.

**Dave's POV**

"Dave, wh-who did you call?" Ringo asked me. "Ex, that's who. I wasn't sure if Satan knows of what transpired today... and Ex was the only person I could think of who might match Vyle's strength. I know I still can't fight that fucking vampire head-on. Even though I've been training almost non-stop for this day… I know for a fact that it'll mean nothing against him. I haven't increased my limits in power and durability at all. The threshold is still beyond my reach… it's like my mind is refusing to have me tap into the last of that hidden power Satan mentioned before. Remember that, Ringo?" I elaborated. "Yeah, and it was partially shown when Draco got hit… you became so furious and boosted your armor to new heights." She recalled. "That must be the trigger, the catalyst. I see the near-tragedy of a person I cherish with all my heart. After that, I go through uncontrollable and unadulterated rage. I don't know how Satan knew of this ahead of time. Well, he IS the Puyo Underworld ruler, but that doesn't really explain things…" I paused for a minute. "H-hey! Isn't that?!" Amitie pointed to the sky. "Awesome, he's here!" I felt relieved. "Huh, that spaceship…" Lemres recognized. Ex popped out from the Tetra, then flew to the ground. "Ex!" I waved. "Looks like you have brought reinforcements, Dave." He said. "Of course, this is likely the toughest enemy that any of us are going to deal with, thus far. Let's hurry inside and take out that count." I spoke.

We entered the door inside, then looked around. "I can't see anything in here…" Ringo squinted. "God, it's like the deep, empty void of space in here…" Ex compared. "So, Dave… who's that guy?" Yui asked me. "That's Ex, he's very powerful… our best weapon for killing Vyle. It's a great thing that us two are friends… we're alike in a lot of ways. This is why I've brought him here." I introduced her. "Ooooh~ Ex, I'm Yui. It's nice to meet you." She smiled at him. "Yui? You're a new face…" He stared at her. "I hate to be butting into introductions, but can that thing wait?" Schezo ended it. "So, you are here… Demonic Dragon." A voice echoed. "Ah-! Vyle!" I yelled. Lights came on from all over the room. "Oh God, it's so bright!" Rulue covered her eyes. It took some time for our eyes to adjust. We saw that the interior was that of a castle. "TH-THAT'S Vyle?!" Ex looked at him. "Hm? I don't believe I saw you before, the one in suspenders. Aaaah, your power seems to be overflowing. You would make a great opponent… however, I'm not going to risk it." Vyle looked back. "! V-Vyle, you craven!" I hollered. "And what so wrong with a sense of cowardice? Unlike your complete coward's back, I am just somewhat cautious. Anyway... I have other plans in mind, you cold-blooded demon." He glared into my soul. "Explain yourself!" Rulue demanded. "***sigh* **This is precisely the problem with bothersome people like you… I'll make sure that all of my concerns are driven out. This room is special, you see. Behold, you powerless fleas." He snapped his fingers. "Wait, something doesn't feel right…" I sensed. "Ah-! What's happening to me?!" Amitie screamed. "! A-Amitie!" I called out. We saw it happen before our eyes, she was getting younger. "Wh-wh-what the hell?!" Klug jumped. "My goodness…" Accord covered her mouth. "A-Amitie's a little kid!" Ringo saw. "Ah-! N-no, not me too!" I pleaded. Everything started looking bigger in my eyes and I saw my hands. "... AAAAAH! I'm a stupid child agaaaain!" I whined. "***snicker*** This room makes all of you younger by ten years." Vyle explained. "NO! I would hate to go back to being an eleven-year old! DAMMIT!" Schezo changed age. "Kyaaah! I-I'm becoming even shorter!" Lidelle panicked. "You won't get away with this, Count!" Rulue shook her fist while changing. "Impossible! I'm... changing too!" Ex winced. "M-me as well!" Feli followed with. "Sh-shit for frostin'!" Lemres swore. "N-nooooo… I feel like I'm losing those extra brain cells..." Ringo sulked. Every person in the group seemed to have aged backwards, but that's when I noticed Yui not getting younger at all. "Y-Yui! You're still the same?!" I reacted. "Yeah... how come she isn't changing?" Amitie tilted her head.. "G-Guys, it must be because her body was incarnated rather than naturally born to the world!" Feli figured. "What…? I was not anticipating this… I didn't see you before either, girl." The count was bewildered. "Ha! Get fucked, Vyle! As you can see, I am unaffected by this room's quirk." She smirked. "Incarnated body… that can only mean that Satan brought you into this world by a ritual… It matters not, you pose no concern to me. The rest of you aged backwards and that is a good enough result for me. … Just where is that Maguro? I still cannot find him around here…" He paused to look around. "If you're wondering where he is, Count… he's dead." Schezo told him. "What…? What do you mean _"he's dead"_?" Vyle asked. "I killed him last night, blood-for-brains." The dark mage revealed.

None of us knew of that event before he slipped the secret out. "What?!" We exclaimed. "What the actual hell, Schezo?! I thought I had gotten you to be a better person, but I guess I was wrong. I didn't want normal humans to be killed in all of this! Even as I did hate Maguro with my guts... he didn't deserve death, let alone one that wasn't humane. You heartless murderer!" I shook him violently with my seven-year old arms. "Get off of me, fool!" He shoved me to the ground. "Oof!" My voice cracked. "I didn't kill him because I wanted to, Dave. He found my cave and was going to use it as a hideout with that monster. I couldn't just let him take my home. Besides, the guy was so petty and foolish… do you think anyone like that deserves to live a full life? It seems pretty meaningless to keep people alive... when they commit the same sins over and over again! It's a never-ending cycle… I did the world a favor by ending his ass. If I didn't, it doesn't matter where he would have gone to. He would just cause trouble for the common people. Once you fully commit to doing the same shameless acts TWICE… there's no going back to the normal livelihood of a human! Maguro just couldn't be convinced to change by your words, I know evil when I see it." He yapped on about. "Still, I would have tried to change him, Schezo. It's unrealistic, I know... but he was still human, goddammit! We're all sinful, no matter how pure our thoughts are. We all give into temptation, whether it's from lust, gluttony, greed… we do things that we normally don't do because of things that are too good to pass up on." I disagreed. "Yes, we all fall into that pit trap… but others fall deeper. Don't you see, Dave?! That Maguro's good side was long-gone, there was no _"saving"_ him. If there's no agreement with you, I might as well be your enemy!" He yelled. "T-traitor…!" I called him. "Don't skew the perspective, I never betrayed you… I just decided to be on my own side and fight alone!" He continued. "Dumbass! You'll die from Vyle's mere thoughts!" Rulue sneered at him. "Schezo, you did betray me… YOU BETRAYED MY TRUST! I saved you from those rabid Puyos because I trusted you. I had faith that you would tread the path of a hero… That foolishness, Dark Mage… is going to be your downfall… the cost of your life. Please reconsider your choices at this moment. Is this what you REALLY want?" I laid it down on him. "***sigh* **You really are a bother… I would rather die than be with you. … Vyle! You heard everything that was said, correct?" Schezo went ahead to ask. "Yes… so you killed Maguro… A shame really, I was going to turn him into a vampire. Now I am all alone... but, that is no longer a factor here. I am more powerful than most of you combined and I'm almost immortal." The count acknowledged and moved on. "Th-that's where you're wrong, Count. We've been training for a day such as this. Sure, individually speaking… most of us may not beat you on our own, but together… that's a whole other story." I talked down on him. "Wrong…? Then prove it. In fact, I implore you to go into that armor of yours." He smirked. "You won't be smiling after this! Yah! … …" I paused. "... … …" Silence had filled the room for a few seconds. "Hm? Why didn't it trigger?" I wondered. "What? Dave, it's not coming through?" Ex asked me. "N-no…" I answered. "***snicker***" Vyle let out. "! What's so funny?!" I hollered. "I thought this might have happened to you…" He said. "_"Thought this might have happened"_? What are you on about?!" I demanded an explanation. "When you bunch aged backwards from this room, it might have... taken away certain abilities of yours. If you didn't have your powers as a small child, then you don't have them now. Even if you had any from back then, they would be so much weaker. Of course, it's the prerogative of the weak to be weaker than the strong… that's how this logic goes, yes?" He explained. "! That son of a bitch! He didn't just made us look and feel younger, it's more like our bodies went back in time!" The thought came to Ex. "What?! But, that means…! I never had any powers when I was seven! So he stripped my powers as the Demonic Dragon Warrior AND my magic… that douchebag! Now I'm only a powerless child that isn't capable of fighting. This whole room was hell in disguise… but wait… if this has happened to me then… ***gasp*** Ringo! She must also be defenseless... Dammit!" I blamed myself for getting all of us to fall into this trap with such unawareness. "Ah, so you care for her more than anyone else?" He mocked me. "Hey asshat, she's one of a kind! Don't get any funny ideas involving her!" I became more volatile. "Like you can do much as you are right now… I might just take her too." He taunted. "Grr… don't you dare…!" I growled. There I saw it, the count nabbed her away from us like he did with Witch. "Gyaaah!" She screamed. "RINGO!" I held out my hand. It was too late, Vyle was really slick. My head boiled with rage, like a teapot ready to blow its top. My screaming became damn-near incomprehensible to everybody.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and friends came to Vyle's hideout in order to thwart his rise to power. The count trapped the group inside of the place, in a room that causes people to become ten years younger. Upon finding out that he's reverted a human again, and a child at that, with no magic... Dave riles up. Vyle then hijacks Ringo to mess with newfound child. Growing from simply riling up, Dave throws a huge fit. He spouts unintelligible phrases, as to be expected from children. What is to be had for him and the rest of our heroes? What will be the fate of Ringo and Witch? And, how can the count be possibly defeated? Next chapter: Chapter 28: The Unrelenting and Cold-Blooded Demon.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: The Unrelenting ****and Cold-Blooded Demon**

**Ex's POV**

"He's becoming more and more rage-induced as time goes on… I get it, Ringo is special to Dave. I can see why he just gets into a fit." I remarked to myself. All of a sudden, my vision became blurry and I was losing consciousness. My mind woke up to a place that was not the real world. I looked at my own body, from what I could see of it anyway. "Huh… I'm the age that I should be now…" I noticed. "Hi, Ex. It's been a while, so you may not remember my voice…" A voice rang throughout. "Huh? Well… I guess I don't. Can you appear to me?" I wondered. "As a static image, I can." They said. The image came up and I knew who this was now. "Ah! Ecolo, it's you! I'm guessing you brought me here to say something?" I assumed. "Bingo! Okay, what I am about to tell you is important. Right now, you are in your own subconscious. This is how I'm able to speak with you. Ex, I need you to be a conduit of some of my energy. And no, I can't just insert it directly into the boy. Dave has to age back to normal and defeat the count before he amasses too much power." He told me. "How though?" I asked him. "You gotta have a clear mind, man. Remove all hatred and anger from that head, then aim a blast of that energy at him. It won't hurt him… Okay, it might sting a little for him, not much though. He's our only hope, but you have to give Dave that hope." Ecolo explained. "What will happen after he changes back?" I wondered. "His powers will return, his fury this time will make him stronger than ever before and cause him to transform again. Do keep in mind... this new form of his is gonna radiate so much aura. Once that happens, it'll be unsafe to be anywhere near him. That's right, the very aura he'll have is gonna be so potent… it'll kill all of you if you stick around. Now, Vyle's aura is just strong enough to keep himself from being wiped out by it, according to my prediction that is. Which means... Dave has to still fight him to the death." He continued. "Will Dave pull through though?" I made one final question. "Most likely, I've been watching him on the side and he has the gumption. Ah-! Quickly Ex, we don't have much time to spare. Something bad will happen if we don't intervene." Ecolo finished. "Alright…" I said. I regained my senses, just as Schezo was attempting to swing his sword at the vampire lord. "Yyyyah!" He threw out. Vyle shout out a beam at the sword itself, which ended up shattered. "Th-the Sword of Darkness! Damn, and I can't use my dark magic either!" He yelled. I felt the energy that Ecolo spoke of flowing through me. "Looks like it's time…" I aimed for Dave who was still raging, and fired at him. Thankfully, no one was looking at me while I did this. "! Gh-! … … …" He stopped in slight pain, then he came back to his proper age. "***gasp* **Look guys, Dave is back to his old self!" Feli noticed. "What...? How is this possible?! I don't understand! This room was designed to keep you people ten years younger, indefinitely!" The count freaked out. "Wait everyone, something about Dave isn't right… he's not talking. He would've said one thing like, _"Hey, I'm my actual age again!"_. As you can see though... he's completely silent. Ah-! He's-!" Schezo was stopped. Dave popped into his dragon armor, the one I saw back from the Puyo Isles… but he didn't stay like that for long.

What happened next would emotionally scar me, without even knowing it at first. Another voice began to boom the room as this transformation went on. "**I am the harbinger of death and obliteration… the cold-blooded, dark dragon of demons. All those who stand in the way shall perish before the supreme might of this creature.** ***growl***" We listened to. "Look at his armor! It's changing to look more like a real dragon." Yui pointed. "And… is he going on all fours?" Rulue wondered. "No, he's just like that for this… see his arms there? They're shorter compared to the legs in length. There's no way he could properly get around like that without using his wings." Schezo said. Dave dug his newfound claws into in floor. "Uh-um… he's getting pretty big… and scary…" Lidelle shook. I'll admit, looking at Dave like this had put the fear of Puyo Hell into me. "I should have figured that his ultimate form would be an actual dragon..." I said. "***roar***" Dave roared loudly. "Yui, use your psychokinesis to retrieve Ringo while Vyle is distracted." Ms. Accord told her. "R-right!" She nodded. Just like that, Ringo was safe in our care. "Yay! Thanks a lot, Yui!" She smiled. "Everyone, we need to get the hell out of here! I'll bust a hole and we'll escape, then run as far away from here as possible." I spoke to the whole group. "What?! But Dave can't take on the count alone!" Ringo was worried. "That doesn't matter now, Ringo! Dave's aura is overwhelming, if we don't get out of here, we'll all die from exposure to it. "But Ex, Vyle had a hostage from Primp Magic School... we can't just leave her here!" Raffina brought up. "***sigh* **Okay. I'll create the hole for you guys to escape, then I will go get that hostage… wherever she may be. Hyah!" I broke through and beseeched everybody else to book it. "Alright... It's just me, Dave, and the count… Wait a minute, what the hell is this?" I stopped myself. I noticed that Dave was still acting oddly. "What is this power?! This is far more than I could ever expect. Damn this boy… Just because you are a dragon, doesn't mean you have won! Bat Storm!" Vyle called up. The bats tried to do work against Dave, however… he was unaffected by the shock emitted from them. "W-what the hell? Before, he was completely fried by the shock. However now... it does not even make him so much as flinch!" He saw to his horror. "***roar***"

**Satan's POV**

"***gasp*** Dave! I can feel something is not right with him. Dammit... he had an incomplete transformation! Where is he?! The forest?! I need to find Draco." I left the Puyo Underworld to see her. I looked about for a while around Primp Town. "There she is, and Arly's with her too!" I flew down to get their attention. "Arly, Draco... come with me quickly! It's urgent!" I hyperventilated. "Whoa, okay Satan… calm down. Tell us what the matter is." Arly pleaded. "Yeah, chill." Draco agreed. I breathed in and out for a second. "Alright, we need to go to the forest. I'll explain what's going on as we fly there…" I hurried. "Gu?" Carbuncle stared blankly at me. "Oh Carbunny... this is too dangerous for you. Could you stay here for me, please?" I asked him nicely. "Gu!" He smiled, then I continued. "Draco, hold on to Arly with one hand and I'll do the same. We'll all fly over to our destination if we do this." I told them. They nodded and Arly hung on to us. "Here goes nothing…" I said. We flapped our wings to lift Arly off the ground. "Hrrr…" Draco tried. "Come on, you can do this." I cheered for her. "Rrrrr!" She continued. We managed to get ourselves high enough in the air. Flying at a decent speed was a luxury in this case. "So what's wrong, Satan?" Arly asked me. "It's Dave, he threw himself into trouble again. But this isn't like any of the other times. He transformed into the Demonic Dragon, he's no longer just a warrior. Ordinarily, this would sound like a good thing… however there's one major problem." I stopped. "What might that be?" Draco wondered. "This transformation was incomplete, and for that to happen with the dragon form... is self-destructive." I said. "What do you mean?" They both questioned. "Should he keep fighting in the incomplete dragon form… he'll lose his life force over time, then die." I elaborated. "What?!" They exclaimed. "But Satan, won't he know that he's losing life force?" Arly brought up. "Not in this instance… I can tell that he's not himself. I don't sense his spirit controlling that form consciously. It's like his mind is asleep, but the body is awake… I don't know how to fully explain it. It'll be a nightmare and a half to get that form to wear off. Not only is he nearly indestructible from physical strikes, if we were to strike him that is… but he has an aura that kills anything nearby that doesn't have a strong aura themselves. Until we deactivate that form… Dave will continue to rampage like a mindless beast, and risk killing himself in the process. That's why we need to stop him before it's too late. Draco, I was looking for you because of this. You, Ringo, and Feli are the only three that can do this. I know that this will sound dangerous, consider what I mentioned before… but you girls have to take a gamble. Approach him when he's knocked down and shed tears on his scaley head. These tears can't be forced either, only ones from natural sadness will work." I made clear. "Why though?" The dragon girl wanted to know. "Bringing tears of the ones who he's in love with will allow him to break out and become free. So, he'll be the Dave that we know if we do this correctly." I explained. "Then why did you bring me along?" Arly looked at me. "Uh… you have an ice-based spell, isn't that right?" I asked. "Yeah…?" "Arly, ice is very useful against dragons. Remember that Dave is a dragon on the outside, which is cold-blooded… anything cold-blooded is crippled in the cold. He won't be able to move much if his dragon body is experiencing sudden chills." I spoke with knowledge. "Why are there so many people down there?" Draco pointed toward. "! They're all fleeing from that complex… he MUST be in there." I insisted. We flew to the ground where that group of people was and they stopped. "S-Satan!" Rulue looked surprised. "Rulue! What are you guys doing here?" I asked. "We tracked Vyle down here, we became younger inside.. then escaped after Dave transformed, due to his aura." She explained to me. "H-how do you know about that?" I continued the questioning. "Satan, it was that Ex guy… he knew about this somehow." Yui answered. "Wh-where is he? I don't see him." I wondered. "He's still inside, trying to save a hostage." The incarnated girl let on. "What?! But he'll get killed from that aura! Dammit… Arle, Ringo, Draco, and Feli… we're going inside. Don't ask any questions on the way, just do it." I implored. The girls nodded to me and followed. "Huh… the quirk with this room is somehow disabled now…" Feli noticed. "It probably had to do with something that either Dave or Ex did." I assumed. There, I saw how Dave looked as a dragon. Throughout my time, I haven't seen anything that made me feel legitimately fearful… but Dave's current presence brought absolute intimidation. I'll admit it, even I was quaking in my boots at the sight. And oh, that roar of his is _"shit-your-pants" _inducing. I could feel the massive gap in power level between us and him.

**Ex's POV**

I took a look as I tried to find this hostage. "Come on, where is she?" I quietly asked myself. "Damn, I'm stuck here… this rope is binding me too tight." I heard a voice. "! That must be her!" I listened into the direction where the voice was coming from. I found her and she saw me come by. "H-hey! Are you here to save me?" She asked me. "Yes, indeed! I'll have you out of that rope in a jiffy. What's your name?" "Witch. Yours?" "Ex. ... There." She was freed, thanks to me finding her in time. "Alright, let's get outta here… things are going to shit in here." I told her. "Where's Dave? That vampire lord seemed to have interest in him… but not the good kind." She looked worried. "Witch, Dave's… it's a bit hard to describe precisely what happened to him. Basically, he turned into a dragon, but he didn't seem like himself." I said. "Wait, what kind of dragon was he?" She wondered. "He told me in the past that he was the current Demonic Dragon Warrior… so I guess he's a dragon of demons? I dunno." I shrugged. "Hold it, if he wasn't himself… then that was probably an incomplete transformation. I'm not an expert on this subject, but if the user isn't fully committed to the new form… they'll lose control and rampage about. I heard that it was especially true for those who had the option of turning into dragons. And because this is an incomplete transformation, that means he's not used to the sudden changes. His energy will run dry soon enough after rampaging." She filled me in. "W-what happens after that?" I asked, afraid of the incoming answer. "He'll die." She confirmed my fear. "_That's what I was afraid_ of… _Damn, this is all my fault_…" I spoke under my breath. "Hm? Did you say something, Ex?" "N-no, Witch. I didn't say anything." I lied. I realized that it was my fault that Dave turned out this way. If only I hadn't fired that energy into him… _That stuff I placed in Dave… it did something to his brain for that moment. I don't know what that may be… but Ecolo, I'll be having some questions for you later. Shit, if only I was stronger… I would've taken on the count myself. And none of us would be in this predicament right now… _I thought to myself. "Hey! You there? We need to go." I was brought back to reality. "O-oh, right… let's leave." I grabbed her hand. We came through where I ran around before and returned to where Dave and Vyle were. "! What's Dave doing?!" Witch exclaimed. "***roar***" We saw him clawing away at the count. "Gyaaah! … No matter what you do to me, Demonic Dragon… ***cough* **You cannot kill me." He continued to rip the vampire to shreds, even though it was pointless. "He can just regenerate every time… but ever still feeling the pain." I witnessed. "***snarl***" Dave snatched hold of and slammed him to the floor, keeping the guy down. "Ough!" The count yelled. Dave then sparked an attack from his mouth. I knew what was coming from there. "Ah! Run, Witch!" I hollered. He breathed bright looking fire directly at Vyle. "Aaaaaaaaaah! What in the hell is this?! I'm... burning on the inside! Inconceivable! You… chicken-shit of a dragon! Incorrigible-! Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh-!" The count was bathed in an inferno of flames and turned to ash in a moment's notice. "H-he killed him like he was only a minor nuisance… and did it without a second thought." Witch's legs shook. "Just how strong IS he?!" I couldn't believe it. "! There's Ex, and he's with Witch!" I heard a familiar voice speak. "Huh? Who in the… Draco…?" I paused. "Ex!" I saw Ringo dash over. "W-what the hell you guys doing here?! I told you to book it to safety, dammit!" I scolded them. Witch continued to run without me, all the way through the hole and outside. "I brought them back here… with some help for a reason, Ex." Another voice came in. "You're…!" I stopped. "Yes. It's me… Satan." He came closer. "B-but, why are YOU here?" I asked him. "I caught wind of Dave having an incomplete transformation, so I hauled ass over here with Arly and Draco. And we need the kid's lovers here to break him free." He answered. "So you knew about form change?" I continued. "H-hold on, you know about the incomplete-?!" He was shocked. "Witch told me a bit about it." I said to him. "I… see… then, do you know why we need Ringo, Feli, and Draco to free Dave from his… draconic prison?" He threw me a bone. "Do I know why…? Nope. Care to enlighten me?" I requested. He passed on about what he spoke to Draco. Ringo and Feli listened in on it while he did so. They didn't seem to have known that beforehand. "So in short, they need to literally pour their feelings on him?" I guessed. "Yeah, they can't just force themselves to bring the waterworks. That has to be all natural from a mood swing. You understand that… right, girls?" Satan turned to them. "Uh… sure." Ringo complied. "Yes." Feli nodded. "Absolutely." Draco accepted. "Okay… but why's Arle here?" I moved along. "She's around to freeze Dave's scale-covered body a little. Of course, too much… and he'll die. We only want him to not move so much." He said. "Ah, I see… he's cold-blooded right now! I suppose that makes sense… dragons are basically giant lizards with wings." My head bobbed. "However… first, we need to knock him down." he told me. "But how?" "By fighting him, there's no other way." "What?! But I saw him kill Vyle in no time! How are we going to even hurt Dave?" "With this, Ex. I managed to obtain this dragon stone. Coincidentally, the stone seems to resonate with you… as though fate wanted it to." He showed me. "The hell's a dragon stone, Satan?" "It's something that allows you to become what Dave was in the past." "Really? So did he use one of these to…?" "That's what I heard a while back. Draco helped in making it seep into his body and saved him from dying. I would make myself one, but it seems like my body is incompatible with dragon stones. Draco, give him the stone." He passed the stone to her. I was quite taken aback by this turn of events. "Here ya go, Ex. You're able to make it go inside you by your own free will, unlike Dave." She placed it in my hand. "Hm? You mean… like this?" I rested the stone on my chest and it reacted. "! No way…! I-it's going in-!" My eyes jerked.

I heard a voice reverberate in my head. "I can tell that you are strong... I will help you get your friend back from potential death, if you wish that is." "Who are you?" "I am the golden dragon spirit that rests in you, the dragon of space and matter. Strong one, you have dimensional power, do you not?" "Y-yes." "You will be able to transform into a second level of armor right out of the gate, but you need to accept this pact… to be the Dimension Dragon Warrior. Do you wish to do so?" "For… real? Well, if it's to save Dave… then I'll do it!" "Wise choice, strong one." The voice fades then I began to feel strange. "This… empowerment! Yyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaah!" I screamed. "! Guys! Stand back!" Satan yelled to the others. Armor formed and I realized that this was similar to what Dave had. "I feel so… energized… I feel stronger than the extent that I had while I was keeper! Ha… hahaha! This is outstanding! Now… time to rescue Dave!" My now modulated voice rang out, then I tested my wings for flight. "W-woah… Okay, this is a bit jarring… ***sigh* **… I got it." I adapted. "Me and Arly will provide you with support, Ex!" Satan alerted me. "Thanks, guys." I said. The dragon looked at me, as though he was attracted by my aura. He slammed his tail against the floor and roared. We squared off and right away, I was in a disadvantageous position. "Shit!" I barely avoided Dave slashing my armor. He was faster than I have ever seen him before, despite being gigantic. "! Arly, slow him down ASAP!" Satan hollered. "I'm on it! Ice Storm!" She yelled. Arle managed to land a good amount of ice on one of Dave's wings. "***roar***" He dropped to the ground and shivered a little. "Awesome job, Arle!" I gave a thumbs up to her. "Ex, watch yourself! He may be slow now, but he's still tough as hell." She directed me. "Point taken." I replied. "***snarl***" "Dave! It's me! Your friend, Ex! Don't you recognize me?!" I tried getting through. "Forget it, he's not himself! Just keep him down long enough for his lovers to pray and cry for him!" Satan told me. "No, I'm going to keep trying to get through to him my own way." I spoke my mind. "You damn fool! Do you WANT us to die?!" He became angry. "Look, I'll fight to keep him safe, but I cannot bring myself to fight against him… there has to be a way of getting him back without inflicting pain by my hand. Even if his resilience is at an all time high, I will NOT hurt my friend!" I made clear. "***sigh* **I get that you admire Dave's way of resolving conflicts… but are you sure that this is the best way to go about it? I'm not certain that this method will have him return to us…" He was understandably unsure. "I'm the former keeper, if there's anyone here who can do this, it's me. I made sure that I would be the best friend that I could fill in for him. I won't go and abandon that bond by attacking him. Now that I am a dragon warrior like him, I have all the more reason to stick to this. He was such a likable guy, I enjoyed his shower of justice and protection. The true embodiment of a hero… such a shame that his demon side has taken control. This is why I want to peacefully persuade him to come to his senses." I finished. "E-Ex…" Satan seem to feel flabbergasted. "Dave! If you hear my voice… WAKE UP! Be the friend that I can count on. Be the definitive role model for so many other people. Be the one to save Primp Town and Suzuran from oblivion!" The dragon looked down on me, observing my movements. "***growl***" For a moment or two, he just stood there, not making another peep. Lowering his head, Dave took a closer look at me. "D-Dave…? Is it really you?" The dragon opened his jaw and lashed out on me. "Gyaaaaaaah!" He sank his fangs into my armor and pierced it like it was nothing. I coughed out blood and cried in utter pain. "EX!" The girls screamed. "D-damn… it… I suppose that this is the end for me… I've been through a lot of shit in my life. Nothing less of a tragedy, but met… a good plenty of people too. Dave, if your hearing my final words… do not lament at this life being lost, kid. Avenge me, not with rage and fury… but with conviction…" I spoke.

**Tee's POV**

Everything was quiet, a little too quiet if you were to ask me. I hadn't heard from Ex since he left the ship. "Tee, my sensors indicate that the captain is mortally wounded." Zed told me, coming back in. "W-What?! We need to get down there then, Zed!" I said. "I cannot let you go down there, remember his orders." He reminded me. "Who gives a shit about those at this point?! We can't just ignore his near-death state. I realize we would be putting ourselves in danger, but Ex's life has been harsh. I just want him to have things easy for a change. Plus, Ess would be devastated if her dad were to die here..." I pressed my fist against the wall. "I… understand. We will go and retrieve him." Zed gave up. Ess was in a separate room so I had to go and tell her that me and Zed will take off. "Ess, we're going to assist the captain, take care of the Tetra's course while we are gone." I told her. "W-what…? But Papa told all of us to stay here… why are YOU going against his orders?" She stared at us angrily. "Trust me Ess, this is for the best…" I said. "First, tell me what's going on before you leap in like an idiot, Tee!" She yelled at me. "W-well…" I stopped. I couldn't tell her what was up with Ex. "Ess, the captain called and wanted me and Tee to help him." Zed covered for me. "Really? I guess he thought he couldn't do what he came for by himself… Sure, I'll do my part." She said. "Thank you, Ess." I bowed. "Tch. Don't thank me. Remember that I STILL don't like you, Tee! I'm just doing this for Papa. Hmph!" She scoffed. We left her to be by herself and exited the Tetra. "Thanks for getting us out of that jam, Zed." "Your welcome, Tee. I'll land first and catch your fall." And he did, bringing me down to the ground with his arms. "Alright let's see he- …" I paused. "Tee…" "What the hell happened to this place? It was fine a while ago, but most of the structure is dilapidated…" I wondered. We felt a shake in the ground soon after. "It must Ex fighting with whoever inside there!" I asserted. "Should we go in then, Assistant Captain?" "Of course we will, why else would we come here?" "I suppose so." We tread carefully, blissfully unaware of how much worse the inside was… compared to outside. "! EX!" I called out to him. "! … T-Tee… you recognize me in this...? What… are you doing… here…? I told you to man the Tetra…" He scolded me, whilst in pain. "No! I HAVE to get you outta here, I'm not letting you die from this… thing! You have a daughter that loves you… how would she feel if it occurred to her that you died, all because I wasn't there for you? She would hate me for as long as I live. Please, come back to us!" I pleaded to him. "Tee… you're not thinking rationally… I'm at death's grip, and you could be killed… in a heartbeat. ***cough cough* **Satan… tell him why… for me…" I looked at Satan, and recognized him. "I… remember you…" I said. "Yes, me too. Hello. Onto the present, you see…" He explained to me about Dave turning into a dragon and ravaging everything. What struck me as scary this form change, was this aura. Potent enough to kill people by itself? Yeah, that made me shake in my boots a little. However, it wasn't the thing I worried the most. No, it would have to be that Dave's life force was constantly drained. I did NOT like the thought of him dying from his own chaos. The dragon tossed Ex's body down to the ground. The armor he had faded into nothing. He laid there, punctured and bleeding after those fangs slid out. "Z-Zed, grab him!" I ordered. "Yes, Assistant Captain." He extended his metal arms to him and whisked him back over. "E-Ex! Don't worry, I'll heal you up!" Arle stepped up. "G-guys… ***cough* J**ust leave me for death." Ex told us. "No, we can't do that… you have no reason to die! Plus, don't you want to know whether or not your wife is still alive?!" I started to sob. "T-Tee…! With all of this time… that I've ever known you, kid… I never saw you… with tears such as those. Y'know… maybe this is not my time… to leave this world. Yes, I want to see my wife again… if possible. I cannot falter here, I must personally thank you, Tee. I should always count on you with anything that I can't do. You too, Zed, I did construct you, after all." He smiled. "Captain, it's good to count on others. This sort of thing blossoms into friendships and the like." Zed slowly got him up to his feet as Arle kept healing his wounds. "***roar***" Dave pounded the area around him. "! Now what?!" I exclaimed. "No… Everybody, if you value your lives… let's get out of here, ON THE DOUBLE!" Satan warned us. "Wh-what going on with Dave, Satan?!" Ex wondered. "He gathered up excess energy while we were busy healing you… preparing a devastating attack. This what we call _"Dragon's Gambit"_." He explained. "G-gambit? That can't be good…" The former keeper sounded worrisome. "Yes, it isn't good. Basically, he's going to blow everything… up to where his aura reaches." The prince of darkness finished. "Th-that's enough to make this whole building collapse!" I realized the outcome. We all nodded and dashed to the hole that Ex made earlier. "He's gonna blow any second now!" Witch sensed. "Ah-!" I heard Ringo trip over something. "Ringo!" I called to her. "Tee! Help me, I fell down and got caught in something." "Oh, for the love of- Don't worry, I'm coming!" I came and freed her from what she got caught in, it was a net. "What's a net doing in here, Tee?" "Nevermind that, we need to get the hell out of dodge. Grab my hand!" She does not hesitate and we sprinted for our lives. ***boom* *structure collapsing* **We made it, if only just by the skin of our teeth. "Oh my God, we made it out…" Feli sighed. "This is the worst day ever! Dave is a dragon, and he's not the Dave any of us know! What the shit kinda nightmare is this?!" Draco complained. "Reality, Draco… As unfortuitous as that may sound, it's the truth." Satan frowned. "Holy-! What happened in there, guys?!" Amitie's jaw was dropped. "Amitie, Dave caused an explosion inside." Ringo told her. "Is the boy okay in there?" Accord came by. "We… do not know… sorry, Ms. Accord." Ex said in response. "***roar***" We heard another of his roars in the direction behind us. "Well, that proves he's still alive…" I said. "There! He's trying to get off of the ground, we can't let him escape this part of the forest!" Satan gritted his teeth. "I'll just freeze up his wings again, Ice Storm!" Arle acted. The dragon dodged the Ice Storm, almost as if he expected it. "! He avoided it?!" She could not believe it. "Hey, can I take over your body a bit, girl?" This other girl asked her. "Wait, wha...?" Arle didn't really know who she was, neither did I. "Who're you? I've never seen you in these parts." She requested. "I'll tell you who she is later, Arly. Right now, it's imperative that you let her possess you. That means she has a plan to try out. Dave will just keep dodging your Ice Storm attack anyway, so why not?" Satan convinced her. "***sigh* **Alright, if you think things will work out this way… Possess me already, whoever you are." Arle accepted. "Okay, I'm coming in…" The girl went inside of Arle's body. "What in the-?!" I reacted. "So it's actual possession… like a ghost." Ex observed. "How observant of you, Ex. She was incarnated into this world by me seeking the god of incarnation. And, I fused two souls of the dead into one, Yui's spirit. Then, I placed this new spirit in the soulless body. I made her look like one of the ghosts, as if she had grown to be seventeen before she died." "What about the other ghost?" "Him? He didn't want to exist anymore and only give new life to his dead sister. It was his wish, and he didn't seem to regret it. Yui only carries the memories of Yu… and her name was derived from the names of these ghosts, Yu and Rei." "Fascinating…" Ex was amazed. "Ugh, this armor plating is tight as hell… how does she like wearing this?" Yui commented with Arle's voice. "E-egad! Just… unbelievable!" I was mesmerized by this development. "If you think that was unbelievable, Tee… you haven't seen anything yet. Here, watch." Satan implored me. "Ice Storm!" Yui brought forth. Dave moved out of the way, only to have been hit from behind with that same Ice Storm. "W-wait! How did it hit him this time?!" I was perplexed by this, and apparently Ex as well. "Yui naturally has to power to move non-living things... with the use of psychokinesis. Even if she is possessing another person, Arly in this case… she can still use it in addition to other powers the possessed carries." Satan established to us. "Th-that's awesome!" Ex's eyes shimmered. "There is a downside to this though…" The prince of darkness continued. "W-what downside?" I asked. "This kind of thing is very strenuous, taking a great toll on Yui's energy over time. She'll lose control of the possessed and exit from their body, exhausted. Also, any pain that the body she takes feels, she'll feel as well. I mean, that part should make sense…" He ended. "So, does that mean she's extremely vulnerable after that happens?" Ex asked him. "Yeah, she'll need to have her energy recharged. Yui is unable to defend herself in that state. And on her own… she's as frail as a normal teen girl of her age." He answered. "That… sucks. Let's hope that it doesn't come down to that." I prayed. "Yes." Ex agreed. The dragon struggled to get up from that last attack. "Looks like I hit him real hard!" Yui grinned. "Yui, remember. We are trying to save Dave, not to kill him. So promise me that you don't overdo it with Arly's ice…" Satan pinched the skin between his nose and eyes. "Yeah, yeah… I know. Don't get your wings in a knot, man." She told him. "***sigh* **It's sometimes frustrating, getting her to do exactly how you want things to be… And, it's painful for me to hear her say that with Arly's voice." He facepalmed. "Well, she is a teenager… you should know that the girls especially have that sort of mindset. I know this because I'm raising one." Ex spoke. "Perhaps, Ex… but good God, even I'm not like that…" He stopped talking. "See, look at that… he's perfectly fine. Just a bit cold, he is." Yui noted. "D-did she just change her speech pattern?" I raised an eyebrow. "***snarl* **The dragon came around for round of fire breathing. "! Yui, watch out! Dave's going to breathe fire!" I warned her. "I'll protect her." Zed rushed in front of her. "Ngh-!" The robot hardly stood up to the heat. "This robot…" Yui stood there. "Do not just stand there, child… run away…!" He said to her. She ran off, with Arle's body still in her control. "***roar* **Dave whipped his tail, denting Zed and knocking him down. He then went to slam him with it. "Ah-!" Zed echoed out before being crushed to bits of metal. "Z-Zed…" I stood by, heartbroken. "ZEEEEEEEEEEEEED!" Ex had completely lost it. He began pounding his fist into the ground like mad. "Dammit, why him?! Zed was like a brother to me! I constructed him myself, made with the love of a family and my compassion… This is bullshit! Why does everything come back to bite me in the ass?! This is unfair!" His tears flowed like a river current. "Gyaaaah!" Yui screamed. The dragon closed in on her, preparing to shred Arle's body with his claws. "Nooooooooooo! I won't let you hurt or destroy anyone else!" Ex hollered and put up his armor. "Ex, no! You're still injured!" I tried to stop him. "Stand aside, Tee… I must do what has to be done, I have the means to. I'm gonna knock that scale-covered exterior off with a single punch!" He cracked his knuckles. "A-a single punch?!" Me and Satan were both unable to comprehend it at the time. "Aaaaaaaaaah!" Yui curled up into a ball, being frightened. "Hrr!" Ex leapt to be in front of the beast. Then, with all the strength he could muster, he threw his mighty punch at the chest area. "RAH!" His fist was glowing a bright yellow. "I-is that…?" Satan looked closer. The scales fell off like a domino effect, leaving behind Dave's actual body and his armor, to which it fades away. "Th-there he is!" I could tell that Ringo felt relieved. Yui meanwhile, ended her possession over Arle.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ex managed to destroy Dave's uncompleted dragon form, releasing him from that prison… but not without a cost. Zed was crushed, trying to protect Yui. Our heroes now felt safe for the time being. Vyle was dead... and Dave is no longer thrashing as a mindless creature. Of course though, the count... in comparison to what they would face later, was mere child's play. Next chapter, Chapter 29: Asking Questions.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29: ****Asking Questions**

**Ex's POV**

I was injured, but I didn't care. After seeing Zed bite the dust, I just wanted it all to end. I looked over at what was left of him. "Zed… His memory chip was crushed. Even if we were to repair him, he would no longer carry the memories that rested in him for all this time. ***sob* **Zed… He was as much of a family member to me as Ess was. Now, she's the only one left… First, my wife… then Zed… I don't wanna lose anyone else. Is my life just destined to be full of despair? ***continued sobbing***" I cried and cried… Everybody there witnessed my emotional suffering. That is, except for Dave, he was not awake. "E-Ex…" Yui came over and wrapped her arms around me. "Y-Yui…?" I stopped my crying. "I… feel sympathetic for you. I don't have a real family to take care of me, it's rough. Zed... he must have made you happy for years." "Y-yeah, he did… but now he's gone…" "You're a parent, right? Could you take me in?" "A-as an… adopted child? I-I don't know…" "You need more family love in your life, I could give that to you… as a daughter. When you protected me from harm, I felt something that I didn't feel before." "A-are you sure that's good for me, Yui?" "Certainly. I won't just be some replacement either. What do you say?" I thought of my answer before speaking with certainty. "I… suppose. You're lonely too, so this could work out for both us of." I stood up, feeling emotionally stable once more. "So, you'll take me in?" "Yeah, Yui. From here on out, I'll be your dear father. Now, there's still the one issue with Dave... he's not waking up. He's probably in a coma…" I inspected his body. "Ex." I heard Satan call my name. "S-Satan… what is it?" I wondered as we went to a spot alone. "The way that Dave transformed in the first place, I could tell that it wasn't natural. I sensed it. Do you know what might have happened, regarding that bit?" He asked me. "Well… how do I say this without pissing anyone off?" I paused. "Hm?" Satan began looking at me suspiciously. "Did you do something to him?!" "Well, yes… but…" "But what?! Spit it out already, Ex!" "***sigh* **Okay…" I explained to him what went on, about Ecolo giving me this odd energy to place into Dave. I also told him about the questions that I would ask the shadowy figure later. "Ecolo, huh? He must have deceived you…" "But... I just don't get it, Satan… WHY would he do it? Even if there was some motive to it, I wouldn't know what that could be." "There must be a reason to it all… and we're going to find out what it is." He walked away to see Arle. I looked back at Dave and sighed. "There must be a way to wake him up…" I crossed my arms. "Ex, I know a way to wake him, because he did it when I was in a coma!" Draco heard and came up to me. "W-what? So there is a way? How is it done, Draco?" I wanted her to tell me. "Fuck… uuuuum… It's really hard for me to say how. He just kinda concentrated and entered into my mind with a specific power, back then. It also doesn't help that I forgot some details associated with it." She told me. "I need to focus, huh? You know… I've heard of a power that allows your mind to enter in someone else's unconscious mind. I think I COULD do that… I dunno. I won't know until I try it, so thanks, Draco." I complimented her. I took a deep breath, then focused my mind like a monk. And then, it felt very weird to me. My brain's consciousness was like half and half, then part of me was in a black void. "Where am I?" I questioned to myself. "Help me, somebody… I'm in pain…" I heard his voice. "D-Dave? Where are you, buddy?" I called out to. I didn't get any direct responses from him, only silence filled the void. He started to moan inaudibly a minute or two later, I could not hear a single word or phrase out from it. The only thing that I thought of doing at that point was following the sound. I walked for a while, the sound eventually became clearer and closer as well. "Ringo, Ex, Satan, anybody… free me, please…" I heard him say. I saw him at long last, restrained by heavy chains, making his body hang around. "***gasp*** Dave!" I approached where he was shackled and pulled on the chains. "Hrrr! Hrrrrrrr! … Shit, no luck. ... Hm… I wonder…" I thought about something over for a bit. _Can I use my new dragon armor in here? _"No use in thinking about it more than I need to… Rah!" I engaged it, then tried my luck against them for a second round. "Hrrrrrrrrrr! Come… ooooooooon! Hiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrr- Raaaah!" Finally, one of them broke. I still had three others to deal with. "Jesus… those things are a bitch to remove…" I commented while losing my breath. It was a slow process, but I finally freed Dave from the chains. "... Why isn't he waking up now?" I wondered. "Hm… Maybe smacking him in the face will be just what the doctor ordered. I'd hate to do this to Dave of all people, but I did all of this work. There's no way that I'll back down now!" ***smack smack* **"C'mon…!" ***smack smack smack* **"***groan***" "! Dave…!" I shook him. "Oooooooh… God that hurt like a bitch… AGH-!" Dave felt his most recent mental pain from me slapping him around. "What the fuck is this OTHER pain I'm feeling?!" He yelped. "Dave, relax… You're in good hands now." "E-Ex, is that you…? In yellow dragon armor? W-wait… aren't we in…?" "Your subconscious? Yes." "This is just like what happened when I got Draco out of her coma… BUT WAIT! That means-!" "Yeah, you got into a coma after you had transformed into the dragon of demons." "So then, what happened to the count? Is everyone alright?!" "My friend, calm down… It was mostly me that was injured." "_"Mostly"_ you? So, other people did get hurt as well…"

**Dave's POV**

Ex reluctantly told me the fate that Zed ended up with, a while after Vyle died to me. "I can't believe it… Zed is just gone and it's all my fault, Ex..." "No Dave, this whole thing was MY fault. I was the reason why you aged back to seventeen and became a dragon. Ecolo contacted me directly in my mind. Call it… telepathy, if you will. He said that I needed to be a conduit for that strange energy of his… all so that I could send it into you. He couldn't send it directly, which was why he _"used" _me, I assume. He explained that it was to stop Vyle once and for all, but he didn't mention that you would go berserk in this way. This tells me that he had a motive behind this action, but I have NO clue what it could be. And because he didn't tell me that… I didn't know at first that you were in an uncompleted state as a dragon. You following me, kid?" "It's a little complex, but I think I get it. Basically, we need to ask questions to Ecolo and get the answers we seek." "Riiiight. First though, we need to get you outta here, Dave." "Yeah, I'd resent being in my own subconscious for way longer than I wish. Let's go, Ex." We walked around until the shining of light appeared. "Ah-! There's our one-way ticket to freedom!" I pointed. "After you, man." He smiled to me. We entered the light and there, I was back to consciousness. "Dave, you there?" I heard Ex's voice ring. "Yeah, looks like I'm back…" I said. Looking around, I see my friends and such, all happy I pulled through. "Dave, you were hella crazy as a dragon." Lemres said to me. "I could only watch as you had absurd power. Again... IT MAKES ME JEALOUS!" Schezo admitted in irritation. "Gee, thanks for that insight… like I couldn't tell otherwise…" I talked sarcastically. "You absolute-! Nevermind. It's YOUR fault the Sword of Darkness broke. Fuck all of this, I am leaving to go back home..." He gave up and left, with Lemres coming after him for some reason. I looked at the sky, then stared at my cell phone. It was quite late to my realization. "God, it's that time already?" I sighed. The girls I had loved came to me with open arms, I didn't expect to see Draco though. "D-Draco! You're here?" I stuttered. "Yeah. Satan brought me here, along with Arle. Anyhow, I'm happy that you're still you." She smiled. "As am I." Feli nodded. "Me too." Ringo followed last. I smiled back, then the girls giggled and hugged me. I had a warm, fuzzy feeling in that short moment. It was… pleasant. "Dave, take my hand. We're going to the farthest edge of spacetime. Satan, you grab on as well." Ex told us. "W-wait, what's going on, Ex?" Ringo lost her smile. "Ringo, this is something that us, as a trio, have to do. We'll be back soon enough." He replied to her. I took Ex's hand, as did Satan. "Hold on, that doesn't answer my quest-!" I heard her bring up before we disappeared from sight.

**Ringo's POV**

"What the hell? We get Dave back, then Ex just takes him and Satan to that goddamn edge in spacetime without explaining why." I complained. "Uh… what?" Feli didn't know what I was referring to. Draco seemed to be just as clueless about it. "Girls-" I spoke before getting interrupted. "Where did my newfound father go?" Yui looked concerned. "F-father? What do you mean, Yui?" I asked her. "Ex. He accepted me as an adopted child a little bit ago. He took Dave and Satan off somewhere, will they be back?" She wondered. "Uh yeah... he himself said that they would be back soon." I told her. "I still want to know where they went off to." She pried. "***sigh*** Alright, I'll tell you… but you won't know what this place is. And just to tell ALL of you beforehand, you can't just get to this place by conventional means." I laid it down. "Why not?" Feli asked me. "Because, Ex is the only one here that is able to freely travel there and back. Anyway, this place… _"the farthest edge of spacetime" _is basically the edge of the universe. Supposedly, nothing else from this world and Suzuran exists beyond that boundary. I dunno whether it's true or not… but that's not important. Ex used to be the _"keeper of dimensions" _who resided at the edge. The keeper's job is simple to understand, but hard to manage. Keeping aspects of multiple dimensions separated from each other." I stopped my words for any incoming questions. "R-Ringo, why does the keeper need to do that? What would happen if they didn't?" Draco threw out. "Remember the oddities that happened a couple of years ago or so, Draco? We saw you out around the constellations in space at that time." I went to remind her. "Hm… ... … OH! I remember now, yeah. So I guess the keeper's actions prevent that weirdness from popping off." She came to the conclusion. "In a nutshell." I nodded. "I do remember the weirdest things happening in Primp Town… yeah. I didn't seem like myself at the time." Feli recalled. "I wasn't around then, and Yu seemed to not know anything about this… because I don't have memories of her experiencing that. ***sigh***" Yui was quite lost in this. "So Ringo, do ya know why they would go to that place?" Draco scratched her head. "Not any specific reason I can think of… this kinda just came outta left field. Either way, all we can do is wait, girls." I answered.

**Dave's POV**

We traveled through dimensions in a way that differed from how I usually get around. Along the way, I saw floating pieces of destroyed ground. Whatever wasn't wrecked, was part of a long, winding, and disjointed pathway. This is actually what we landed on soon after seeing it. "This path will take us to the edge. I would have made godspeed for it with my dimensional power, but it's drained heavily if I do that for prolonged time." Ex said. "This place hasn't changed much since I've first seen it. Don't know whether to call that a good or bad thing…" Satan commented. "Yeeeeeah… that's part of the reason why I'll never miss this place, Satan. Look at how remote and empty this area is. Dave, this is your first time here, isn't it?" He shifted the talk over to me. "Yes… I'm beginning to REALLY see how much you wanted a normal life after being keeper, Ex." I told him. "***sigh* **I still find it crazy that I was able to sustain sanity here for so long. Making Ecolo the current keeper was one of the best things to ever happen to me. But… now I have concerns in my mind…" He said. "I don't blame you, we both know that he can be quite… deceptive." Satan said. "We should get going, we can't have our friends wait on us forever." I insisted. They nodded and we doubled-down on getting to the edge quickly. Some time later, Ex notified us that we were close. "Almost there…" He had let us know. "... I wasn't expecting this path to be a trek and a half…" I wheezed. "Last time I came... I just made a portal from the Tetra, to this place with Ecolo. Ex was still the keeper when we created that." Satan mentioned. "Well, where is this portal now? We could have used it to get here." I wondered. "I don't know… I'm not sure if anyone knows." He scratched the side of his head with a finger. "The portal just vanished one day, and I'm also unsure of where it is." Ex re-established. "Then I think it's safe to assume that the portal has been gone for a while… Forget it, we need to get to the bottom of this!" I ran on ahead. "H-hey! Wait up, Dave!" Satan hollered. There we were, at the farthest edge of spacetime. I finally saw the figure that Ringo described to me for myself, Ecolo. "Ecolo!" Ex got the shadow's attention. "Ex, what brings you here?" He drooled. "I-is that... drool?" I squinted. "Dave, I've seen you with Ringo. So, lemme ask you… is she the girl of your dreams?" He tossed. "What…? I don't see how that's relevant. Ecolo, we have questions for you… well, Ex does…" I told him. "Fess up, you knew that Dave would ravage everything and not just Vyle! You didn't tell me so that this _"plan" _could come to fruition, isn't that right?!" He yelled at him. "Yeah, we know you too well, Ecolo! What was your reason for doing that?!" Satan followed up with. "Seriously, Ex? ***sigh*** Could you NOT tell that my words to you were genuine? If that's what you think, fine. But please believe in me, guys. I had no reason to make Dave go out of control. Heck, I didn't even know that this would play out like that…" His response actually sounded true. "Ex, Satan, I think he's telling us the truth." I spoke. "Huh?! What makes you say that? How can you possibly trust him, Dave?!" Ex moved his arms around in accordance to his speech. "Ex, I can just kind of tell whether people lie or not. It's like… second nature. I get this feeling in the back of my head. Call it instinct, I guess… Regardless though, I trust what Ecolo is saying." I stood firm. "Aaaah... that's why I trust you to save everyone and everything, Dave. Your brain, although not the smartest around… can make legendary judgment calls." He complimented me. "Uh… thank you…?" I went along with. "So then… you truly only wanted the count to be stopped?" Satan asked the shadow. "Of course, silly old man! It's all because he was a powerful pawn of an even more powerful dimensional force." He replied. "You're still insisting that these guys are going to attack us?" I questioned. "Ah, so you've heard from Ringo… about her _"vision"_ with talking to me." He figured out. "Wait… what vision is he talking about, Dave?" Ex asked me. Satan seemed curious too, so I told them both. "Well…" I went ahead and described what Ringo mentioned with her going through that. "Another power has yet to manifest, and these things are supposed to be dimensional?" Satan was puzzled. "Yeah… Speaking of which, Ecolo. Have you dug out more info surrounding these pansy powerhouses?" I asked. "Not really, sorry. I promise you though, as soon as I know what we're dealing with… I'll give you a vision, Dave. I do have solid faith in you, boy. Your power is flashy, cool, and AWESOME! Hoooo. It's good to kinda be yourself again, even as brief as this. I know that I sure like being eccentric! I'll be honest, this _"adult" _responsibility is not fun. I wanna have fun and shit, ya know? But, I do realize that Ex wanted me here for... reasons, and I'll respect them. Just as something random, could you maybe touch me for a second, Dave?" He asked from me. "Uh… sure?" I complied. I felt his body and my fingers glided along. "You're silky smooth… and there's not any natural oil or whatnot." I noticed. "This is what crossing dimensional boundaries does to you. You kinda just turn into how I look. Also, your finger stroking around there is- pffff- tickling me." He told me. I retracted my hand without a second thought after that. "S-sorry." I jumped. "Hahahaha! You really are too kind, man. You seem like the guy that never wants to invade personal space or privacy of others. Anyway... Ringo wants you back, I can feel it. You should get going before it becomes late." He winked. I nodded to him and turned around. "Well, you heard him, let's go back." I told my fellows. "I… guess." Ex was a bit hesitant. "***sigh* **Sure… I want to see how Arly's been holding up. It looked like her body was not entirely in it for the possession." Satan felt worried. We waved goodbye to Ecolo, then made it back to Primp's forest with dimensional travel. "Dave!" Feli saw me return. "Feli, hey! Where's Ringo?" I asked her. "She left a while ago, back to Suzuran. She was tired of waiting for you and just wanted to go back. We sent her through so that she could." She replied. "Father!" Yui snuggled Ex. "Jeez, you're already attached to me, aren't you? ***chuckle***" He was surprised. "Arle, are you here?" Satan called for. "Draco took her back home, she was still not awake when I last saw her, Satan." Yui mentioned to him. "I see. I'll go then, see you whenever we do meet again, Dave." He waved and flew off. "Alright... I'll take you to your new home, Yui." Ex told her. "Father, I need to get my clothes and junk." She said to him. "Oh... Then go to where they're at and pack up." He said. "C'mon, Yui. I'll take you back to my place, so you can do that." Feli grabbed her hand. "Okay!" She nodded. Those two left without another hitch. "Huh… where's Tee at?" Ex scratched his head. "He's probably paying respect to Zed off somewhere else…" I assumed. Amitie and my other classmates seemed to be gone too. This means, the only ones left here were me, Ex, Rulue, Witch, and Accord. "Why aren't you going home, Dave?" Ex wondered. The other three were just as stumped about my inclusion here. "***sigh* **We all need to talk here… about the new looming threat." I fully insisted. They all nod to me and we sit down for this crucial discussion.

The talk of these dimensional beings was one we couldn't ignore, at least, I felt that it could not be. "Ex, have you ever encountered other dimensional beings, outside of Ecolo?" I questioned him. "No… as far as I know, me and him are the only ones. But of course, he essentially said that there are others like us." He answered. "Okay… how about the rest of you?" I passed along. "I have, but they were from the world that I originated from, along with Arle, Schezo, Draco, Witch, and of course, Satan. Also, they literally don't exist anymore, because we destroyed them with some help." Rulue brought up. "Alright then, whoever you have spoken of can't be the force then. In any case, we REALLY need to be beefed up for this potentially catastrophic war. That's right, I don't think that this will simply be just another battle. From what information Ecolo had to give us, I can tell that we'll be constantly fighting for our lives... as well as others, without a decent break. That's whenever these guys do end up showing themselves, which none of us know. We'll just have to roll with the punches and see where it goes from here." I proposed. "I agree, Vyle was tough for a pawn. If we don't prepare ourselves for the worst scenarios possible, we will all die." Accord nodded. "***sigh* **I was rendered powerless against him and he kidnapped me." Witch looked down on herself. "Hey, don't look so down. You WERE caught in for a loop, so it's not like you could have defended yourself adequately. Therefore, you shouldn't blame yourself for this." I lightened her mood. "There he goes again, just being so kind-hearted…" Accord spoke. "It almost feels like a dichotomy of sorts. He's a demon, but his thoughts and actions beg to differ." Ex agreed. "It's just shocking that a normal-looking boy like Dave… has so much character to him." Rulue expressed. "Uh… define _"character" _in this instance, Rulue. Could you explain in more detail what you mean by that?" I turned my head to her. "Like, your emotions never stay the same for long. You're mostly calm… but when you get your imaginary feathers ruffled, you become upset, angry, or maybe even depressed. It depends from situation to situation for you. What's most intriguing is the fact that you often not let your emotions get the better of you. Although… today was an outlier in that respect. The count took Ringo away from you, then you just lost it." She reminded. "I-I know… I was cruel as a dragon. Sure, I took out Vyle… but I destroyed Zed and almost killed Ex as well. Now I'm afraid of making myself into a dragon again, because I fear it. I thought that the second level of dragon armor was too dangerous, however… I couldn't have been more wrong. It's safe compared to the dragon form. If it was enough to put me into a coma mid-way, then I am not ready for it... … … I... just don't want to kill all of those who I've met for the better. I'll never forgive myself for being too strong for my own good. It makes one wonder whether or not my body will just give out on me. This isn't something that I can embrace easily, since my power has grown exponentially. A couple of months ago, I barely grasped the power of magic. My body was also not as built, as such, I was physically weak. Did I push myself too hard? Did I devote too much time into training outside of school? Was my resolve too strong for me to handle? I only wanted to protect all that I ever cared about. Instead though... I lost control of the very power I possess! Who am I?! Who am I, dammit?! ***sniff*** I'm a monster, that's what… A hideous and unruly monster that became selfish with his own strength. That's the worst kind of monster in my book. I've turned into the very people that I hate! Like Vyle! Daaaamn iiiit! ***continuous sobbing***." I looked down and covered my face with my hands. The others just sat there, not saying anything. I gazed up for a second and saw that they looked down as well. "D-Dave…" Ex started to speak. "... you shouldn't sulk in this pain indefinitely. Sure, I understand that your not taking this well, for good reason too… but, you need to look straight ahead and bear the pain. The loss of Zed hit me like a truck, but I'm willing to accept that it was fate who decided it. That might not be a fair comparison though… I'm an adult who has been through plenty of losses. Meanwhile, you're still a kid in some- ***sigh* **I guess it can't be helped…" He gave up. "That's not entirely true, Ex." Accord said to him. "Huh? What do you mean?" "I'm saying, he's perfectly mature as a young adult in most cases. Even if he has his occasional emotion bursts… Dave is, objectively speaking, a calm young man." She stood up. Rulue nodded, then spoke as well. "Yeah, he's a bit of a crybaby sometimes, but I agree that Dave is quite adult. Hell, I would say that he's about as much of an adult as us." She smirked. "He was a lost person when I saw him for the first time. ***giggle*** Dave wasn't sure what to do in my class, during the lessons. I found it rather… charming. His two friends in there got him to find his way to success. And, I'd say… we should all be there for him when he needs us most." Witch followed up with. "Of course! Dave, we're all with you until the very end. You have all the care in the world on your side. Think of all the friends you have made since learning magic. At the very least, we'll be there to lend a hand." Ex patted me on the back. "***sniff* **Y-you think so?" I stopped. "Not think, I know so." He reassured me. "I think this boy needs a group hug." Witch suggested. The others nodded and they all huddled up to hug me. "G-guys…" I felt better. "***sniff* **Thaaank yooooou!" I teared up more. I honestly didn't know what to say besides that, even in retrospect.

A few minutes passed for me to suck it up. "The power of friendship… it may be a cliche, but dammit, I don't mind. I love having friends covering my back every step of the way. Witch, I must thank you most of all, for reminding me of people like Feli and Lemres. And, for suggesting the group hug too. Ex, you weren't too shabby either, you reinforced the idea and power of companionship for me, multiple times. Rulue, you helped me grow a ball or two in the past month. Ms. Accord, you stayed tried and true as my main magic instructor, since the beginning. Had it not been for any one of you coming into my life, things would've played out differently. Probably ending up as something much worse than this. I should be ecstatic that I'm alive right now. I should be glad that Vyle is dead and not wreaking havoc. I should be happy that things are peaceful for the time being!" I smiled. "Looks like you are no longer moping around, that's good for my premiere pupil. I need you to remain as a role model for the other students. Still, I like it when you're completely sensitive. ***giggle***" Accord cracked a smile. "M-Ms. Accord! Please-!" I wanted her to stop teasing me. "Me too." Rulue played along. "Oh come on, not you too!" My face blushed. "Heh, it's so easy for you to feel embarrassed, Dave. But hey, that's what makes you cute outside of that calm facade you put on." Witch pressed on my cheeks with her hands. "Could… chu you maybe not do that?" I asked her nicely. She nodded and stopped. "So, Dave… you should go home, yes?" Accord reminded me. "Yeah, I should. I'll go now, then." I stood up. "Here's a portal for you to get back." Ex fired up. "Thanks. And, bye." I waved and left. Back in Suzuran, I arrived home with Ringo looking peeved. "Took you long enough… Sheesh, what the hell was all of that about anyway?!" "Ringo, if you can let me explain…" I elaborated on why Ex took me to the farthest edge of spacetime. "So… he had suspicions about Ecolo purposefully making you an unruly dragon with that energy… but, he didn't?" "Nope. Ecolo, didn't even know that I would go berserk. I could tell that he wasn't lying about it. I thought that maybe I could also obtain additional information from him, involving those unknown dimensional beings. But, as he told us, Ecolo had no luck with uncovering more." "Well, that sucks…" "Yeah… I would have preferred to have more to go off from… but, I guess it was fate to be this way." I ended the conversation. Ms. Ando had already finished cooking dinner a while ago. Once again, I ate alone for the night. The food was leaning farther into the lukewarm side, naturally. It was still good, but it wasn't the same as it could've been as being warm. What came off as different tonight… was a guest coming into the shower with me and Ringo… namely, her , this freaked me out when I heard her. "I'm coming in." Her voice projected inward. "! Wh-what are you doing in here?!" I reacted. "M-Mom?!" Ringo was just as flustered as me. "I just wanted to be with my two little love birds." She said. "You do realize that this is extremely awkward, right?!" I enforced. " ***chuckle* **Relax, Dave. If you don't want to see my body, then just keep your back to me." She mosied in. "Mom, it seems… kinda crowded in here." Ringo could not find a decent space in the shower. I was in the middle of her and Ms. Ando, which of course, made me feel so weird. "Ringo, come now... don't you want to bathe with your mother again after so many years?" She pressured her. "***sigh* **I guess… it has been a while." The girl admitted. "Ringo's mother held out her hand for her daughter and leaned closer toward me. This was when the de facto _"Nooooope!" _occurred. As the woman leaned by me, she accidentally pressed her mature breasts against my back. "GH-!" I went. My eyes jerked in the shock of it. "Oh. Would you look at that… Ringo hasn't done a good job washing your back, Dave. Looks like I'll have to take care of it." She took the body wash. "P-please, you don't have to-" I was cut off. "Dave, it's my job as your technical mother to keep you nice and clean. This should include your back too." She opened the wash. "Mother, this is ludicrous!" Ringo pleaded with her to stop. "What? Nonsense, my child. Besides, your back is probably in the same state as Dave's. Your's be cleaned next after him, okay?" She pointed at her. After a second or two, I hear her close the body wash again. Then, THIS happened. "GH-! N-No! Why are you cleaning it THIS way?!" I jumped a little. "Relax, boy… and c'mere already!" She demanded. "! Mom, stop rubbing your soapy breasts on him!" Ringo wanted her to stop. "But, whyyyyyyy? How can I reach certain areas of his back otherwise? Besides, he seems to be enjoying it juuuuuuust fine." Ms. Ando giggled. I twitched about, without saying a word. This woman paralyzed my heart, to put it in exaggerated terms. "C'mon, his face is so red from this…" Ringo pointed to me. "Heh. I get it… he really DOES want to see my motherly breasts…" She started turning me around. "U-uh um…" I stuttered and closed my eyes. "Dave. Open. Those. Peepers." "N-nuh uh." "I'll be a true mother for you if you let me do what I want~." "... …" I hesitated, then finally opened them. "See them? Beautiful, yes?" "Y-yes… they're beautiful... and not sexy. I don't know how you made that fine line, but you somehow did. This is good… I'm not turned on at all, I just feel motherly love that is unmistakingly there and accounted for." I cling to Ms. Ando, resting my head against her chest. "See? It's alright to bathe with a mother, even if you're a grown son. Again, you're not related to me by blood, but I can feel a connection." She smiled. Ringo was unsure about all of this unfolding before her. "Join us, Ringo. We can use each other to wash all around." She urged her daughter. "Alright... I'll be there." She lightly giggled. What started out as looking like an awkward and lewd scene between a mother and a boy in a porno… turned into a wholesome and lighthearted family-like bonding moment. We all left the shower feeling satisfied with the result of it. Ms. Ando left for bed and this just left me with Ringo. "Your mother is the embodiment of a true parent. I trust and respect her fully with my heart now. You must have been raised well, my love." I said to her. "Aw, thanks…" She blushed. We kissed each other good night and slept peacefully.

* * *

**Author's Notes: After Ex gets over the loss of Zed, he takes Dave and Satan to the farthest edge of spacetime to question Ecolo. The shadow revealed that he didn't lie to Ex about how Dave would turn out as a dragon. Merely, he didn't know that Dave would go crazy. And unfortunately, Ecolo did not have new information about those dimensional beings. The trio left the edge and went back to Primp's forest. Many of Dave's friends left for home, including Ringo. He decided to talk to the people that were left about the mysterious dimensional beings. This left him in a state of existential crisis, to which the others comforted the guy. Dave goes through the rest of the night, having his spirit boosted. What is to come from Ex, now that he has another daughter to take care of? How will he handle future predicaments, all because of this adoption? And, will Yui enjoy life inside of the Tetra? Next chapter, Chapter 30: The Hardships of a Single-Parent. **


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: The Hardships ****of a Single-Parent**

**Ex's POV**

I waited for Yui to come back during that night, which she finally did. At this point, Ms. Accord, Rulue, and Witch all left. "Father!" She called to me. "! Yui! You got your stuff, I take it?" I looked at her. "Yeah, so where do you live?" Yui wondered. "Oh, I think you'll quite enjoy this… follow me." I turned around. She stayed close behind me, then we see the Tetra. "That right there, is your new place of residence, Yui." I showed her. "That ship?" "Yup, and it's coming down for us." The Tetra opened its hatch and we entered. "Take a look at this, Yui… isn't she a beauty on the inside?" I smiled. "Sure is… wow." She was stunned. "I'm the proud captain of this space vessel. My crew is all like a family to me, but Ess was my only true family for a long time. Anyway, you'll see them move around the ship's layout periodically for most days. It's so that they can perform their daily duties. I would take you to Tee so that you can learn more about him, but he's… preoccupied with something else. So, I'll just show you to the other members." I made it clear to her. She nodded and we went on with introductions. "Hey O, we have a new resident on the ship." I called him out. "Pipi? … Pi pipipi!" He prattled on. "What's he saying?" Yui questioned. "He's basically going, _"Nice to meet you!"_, or… something along those lines. I dunno... I don't understand his exclusive language too much. I usually consult Tee whenever I need an accurate translation from O." I admitted. "Either way, he's adorable…" Yui gushed. "He's adorable, yes. But, his job is quite a burden on him too. He's a communications officer, relaying information back and forth at incredible speeds. Heading over here... we have the ship's engineer, Ai." The dog heard my voice. "! C-Captain, you're back?" He looked surprised. "With a new person living here, Ai." I said to him. "Huh, this girl, here?" He observed her. "He talks, walks on two legs, and does machinery stuff… that is just wack…" She commented. "Captain Ex, who is this young lady?" Ai wanted to know. "This is Yui, I took her in as a second daughter." I told him. "Wh-what? Uuuuh… Don't you know what might happen if Ess hears of this? It could be dreadful… YIP!" He was frightened. "Relax, Ai… I'll just explain it to her like any good parent would." I assured him. "Well, I hope that doesn't come with a come with a death contract signed with your name." The dog scurried off. "He's a… peculiar individual." Yui described. " ***sigh* **That's Ai for you… he does some questionable things at times. No doubt that he's intelligent, but fear of the unknown is a thorn in his side. Moving along… Ah, here's Jay and Elle!" I found them sitting down, reading books. "Captain!" They both looked up. "Meet Jay and Elle, the twins on board." We came up to. "T-twins?" Yui paid attention. "Who's this girl?" Jay got curious. "This is Yui, Jay and Elle. She'll be living here from now on as my second daughter." They seemed to be excited about this. "Jay, she looks one hundred times more approachable than Ess is." Elle spoke to him. "Yeah, she seems much nicer by comparison." Jay agreed. "Wh-what kind of person is Ess?" Yui got a bit shaken up. "As her new sister, you'll need to watch out for that nasty temper she has." Jay warned her. "We know it all too well, Yui. Just look at these scars and bruises." Elle continued speaking for Jay. They showed their proof of abuse to her. "No way… she's abusing you two?" She felt sorry for them… I did too. "Yep." Jay nodded. "Hold on… those marks look like they're very recent… D-did she beat you two today?" I asked them. "Yeah, she did. She was apparently so infuriated with you because Zed became scrap metal. She found this out when Tee was lamenting out-loud, this was how we discovered the truth too. The crushing of Zed was… a bit much for us to take in. This tipped Ess over the edge so much... that she felt like she had to lash out against someone. We were unfortunate to be caught under her ultra-cranky side." Elle frowned. _Hm… looks like I'll want to have a talk with her after I introduce her to Yui. _I thought. "Thanks for the insight Jay and Elle, we'll be going now." I told them. The twins nodded and waved to Yui.

Going into Ess' room, we had to be cautious. "Hey, Ess." I went in alone. "Oh, Papa!" She looked. _Huh, she doesn't seem to be mad now… how did she calm herself down? _I wondered in my mind. "Ess, I have a surprise for you~." "Wh-what surprise?" "Say hello... to your new sister!" I showed her. "Uh, hi Ess." She waved to her. "... … Papa… what is this debauchery?!" Her anger was reignited. "Um… what…? I think you meant… debacle? ***sigh* **Nevermind. Why are you so angry, Ess?" I lost my enthusiasm. "Papa, I thought I was the daughter you dearly loved… then you go ahead and accept this STRANGER as your new daughter!" She yelled at me. "L-look, Ess. I still dearly love you. No one will ever replace you as my true daughter. It's just that Yui did not have parents originally… it's complicated. I wanted her to have a loving parent, and I felt obligated to take her in. Especially after we… lost Zed today." I tried explaining to her. "Don't remind me of that…! It was bad enough, listening to Tee go on and on about Zed being gone! It's all your fault that he was there with you, only to be destroyed! And I just wanted to unleash my frustration on something, so I used Jay and Elle as pain dummies!" She continued. I kind of lost my composure and wanted to scream at her. "Yui, could you please leave and close the door behind you? Things… could get messy here. In the meantime, how about you go to Tee and cheer him up. I know this conflicts with what I said earlier, but I think he needs some motivation. Ask around if you can't find him." I told her. "A-alright…" She left. "Okay, now we have the privacy necessary…" I breathed deeply in and out. "EEEEEEEEESS!" I screamed. "H-Huh?!" "I might be an easy-going parent, but it sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm not strict! And, I'm going to drill what you need to know in that head of yours! You know why I'M yelling now?! Because NONE of that was my fault! Zed came with Tee to help me in my time of need. The robot that you love SAVED me from dying! Then, he protected Yui at the cost of his metallic body. He jumped in to save her under his OWN volition, even though he never really knew who she was! And don't think for a second that I didn't care about Zed's destruction, because I did! I WISHED that he was still here! I WISHED that he can still be a brother to me! Finally, I wished that he could still provide support to this crew… He was as much of a family member to me as he was to you, Ess. Please understand that I'm telling the truth and nothing but the truth." I frowned. "Papa…" She stood up and hugged me. "E-Ess?" "I-I get it now, it must've been rough for you too. I'm… sorry. Also, I-I regret abusing the twins like that. It was... uncalled for from me." She apologized. "Thank you, Ess… Do you think you can be nice to Yui as your sister?" I smiled. "I'll… try, Papa." "Good…" I was glad that she understood my side of things. It took quite a bit of yelling, but it paid off.

**Yui's POV**

I asked around, not getting results from O or Ai. I decided to go back to where the twins were. "Hey, Jay and Elle. Do you know where Tee is? I want to talk to him about stuff." I came to them. "He should be in… the mechanical room." Jay answered. "I… don't know where that is." I said. "We'll take you there, then." Elle smiled. "Thanks." I smiled back. They led me to this mechanical room. Sure enough, there he was. "Alright, we'll be going now. We don't wanna ruin the moment for you." Jay whispered. "Okay." I nodded. They left me alone with the guy himself. I quietly entered inside, to which he didn't see me right away. I decided it would be best to say something. "U-um, Tee?" I spoke. He turned around in surprise. "Oh, Yui. What are you doing here?" He asked me. "I'm your captain's daughter now, he took me in since I didn't have any parents." "I-I see… So Ex has a second daughter..." "What are you doing in this room?" "Well, I tried fixing up Zed, however his parts are too smashed up. Even if they weren't, the memory chip from him is no more. Zed… he was a valuable member of the crew… We will all miss him dearly." "So, does that mean there's no point in trying to fix him? Tee, I think you need to move on. This is exactly like when a real family member dies. The family laments for like a day at most, then they carry on with their own lives. I know that kind of thing, since I used to be two ghosts. Honestly, you should look toward the future and keep a positive attitude!" I lightened his mood. "Y-you think so, Yui?" "I should, I was formerly Yu and Rei before this new life came to me." "Yeah. I should, really. Thank you. I should be doing my things as the assistant captain, and not sulking. Anyway, it will be good to have you on board." He said. "Mhm." I nodded to him. "I'll go back to my father now, bye!" I waved to him. "See you." He smiled. I left to return to my father. "Huh… the door's still closed. But, I don't hear a peep inside." I said to myself. I chose to go ahead and open the door. He and Ess were hugging each other silently. "F-Father?" I came in. "Oh, Yui. Don't worry, everything's fine now." He assured me. "That's… great." I was glad. "So Ess, continuing this thing… Yui will bunk here with you since there isn't a spare room for her." He furthered discussion. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Papa?" Ess questioned him. "It'll be fine, I can see this turn as a positive influence for you. Think about it, you'll get to know your her better if you share this place." "If you say so, Papa." I imagined, being in this room with Ess. I looked forward to potentially sisterly things. "Good. I'll leave you girls to be alone, then. I'm bushed. I'll bathe, and go to bed after that." He left. "So uh… Yui, right?" "Yeah, that's my name." "We should bathe too. There's a bathhouse in this ship for the crew to use. It's separated into men and women, which I'm thankful for." "Why is that, Ess?" "Because, Tee often looks at me during duty time, and he becomes COMPLETELY mesmerized by my features. It's disgusting! I dunno what goes on in his head, but I know for a FACT that he imagines provocative shit. And then, he takes breaks at the most bizarre times. I could think of ONE reason why he does this…" She paused. I thought about what Tee would do, given what Ess said. "! Would it be because… he goes to masturbate to your image in his head?!" My eyes widened. "Eeeew! I hope that's not the case!" She grimaced. "If he is perverted, then I don't wanna have him masturbating from MY look!" I panicked. "Don't worry, if he tries any of that… you just leave him me." She places her hand on my shoulder. "Well, that is what a good sister does for the other. I'm glad to be your sister, then." I told her. "Let's just go wash up before it's too late." Ess urged. We grab clean clothes and a towel to dry off with. We left for the bathhouse shortly after. "I do like living in the Tetra. it just feels like a nice home, Ess." "Not to mention, it's mobile too. So, if we want to go to a different location, then we just fly off." "Yeah, it's convenient. How big is this bathhouse anyway?" "It's… decent in size, I'll say it that much." As we continued walking, we ran into Elle. "Oh hey, Elle!" I noticed. "Hi, Yui! Are you two heading to the bath as well?" She asked us. "Yes." I answered. "Elle, I'm sorry to you and your brother about the abuse that I did." Ess apologized. "Wow, you're really apologizing? I accept it then! I'll tell Jay that you did so after I come back to him later." She seemed happy. We all paced together to our destination. "There it is…" Ess looked forward.

We went into the women's section, which it was just us. Everyone else in the ship was male. "Wow, this looks great!" I stepped inside. "What's even better… once this area recognizes that everyone authorized to come here is present, the door automatically locks itself from the outside. Now, you haven't been placed into the Tetra's system yet. Until you are, you'll have to enter here first before me and Elle both do so. It's not anything too complicated… you'll just want the thing to scan and remember your DNA. A strand of hair will do for that, which you'll give it tomorrow." Ess went on. "With this place as it is, you don't have to worry about peepers." Elle added. "Namely, Tee." Ess grimaced once more. We started bathing after taking off our clothes. "God, I didn't notice this before, but you're… elegant." Ess realized. "That's just how I was made." I said. "What do you mean by that, Yui?" She raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't… born exactly. I was just brought into the world as a seventeen year-old girl. This body of mine was incarnated from a ritual… made to look like an older version of a ghost." I explained. "Whatever… It sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me." She didn't really care about that. "It makes me wish that I can grow these things a size or a couple…" Elle wanted. "Jeez, there's like no breasts on that chest at all. I've seen flat chests before, but that takes the cake." I placed my hand on my cheek. "Meh, it's not all bad, Yui. If I want or need to, I could disguise myself as a boy with the proper clothes. I don't know why it COULD be useful... but I don't mind it too much that my chest is flat as a pancake." She embraced. "Crossdressing, huh? I mean, if you need to do that in the near future… I guess you could get away with it and not get caught. I'd doubt the opportunity will come up one of these days." Ess was torn. "Just remember that you are who you are, Elle." I reminded her. "Sure, I'm the twin sister of Jay, first and foremost. I love my brother and never cherish anything else more than him. He protects me and is my knight in shining armor. Just… don't think of it as romantic love, because that's obviously wrong for siblings." She looked back. We continued washing and talking for a while. However, we… heard something out of place. ***inaudible noise*** "The hell? What is that sound?" I listened in. "What sound?" Ess asked me. "Shh- listen, Ess. You too, Elle." I whispered. We listened for a minute as the noise kept going. "I-is that… moaning?" Elle guessed. "Yeah, it's coming from here too… but where?" Ess was confused. "I dunno, girls. Let's search." I said to them. They nodded and we scoured around the women's side of the bathhouse. Soon, I discovered this anomaly getting louder. _Am I closer to whatever is making this? _I questioned myself. I silently signaled the other two to come by me. Grouping up again, we nodded to take one step at a time. We saw a shadow of a person sitting down. _What? How is there another person here? _I thought. "Wh-who's there?!" I alerted them. "!" We no longer heard that noise from before. The figure attempted running for it before we could do anything. I stopped them, using psychokinesis to move the bath water to surround them. We lit up the place, revealing the mystery person. "GYAAAAAH!" I was disturbed. "T-Tee?! What are you-?! How the FUCK did you get in here?!" Ess started interrogated him. Tee was wearing nothing but underwear. "I'm… the assistant captain. I have the authority to turn off sensors to places. Normally, that one by this bathhouse's door would have kicked me out in an instant. I just disabled it before you got in, yourselves. Then, I reengaged it, so that you would not become suspicious of it." He said. "That still doesn't explain the what, Tee!" I yelled. "Hey, what's this?" Elle snatched something from Tee. "Ah-! No, give it back, Elle!" He demanded. "... What's with you, man?" She looked at him and showed me what it was. "A-a picture of me? This was when I was leaving the mechanical room! Why do you have this?" I asked him. "Uuuuuh…" He stood there. "***sniff*** I smell something odd in the air… do you smell it, girls?" Ess wondered. "***sniff*** Yeah, I do too…" I smelled. "Whatever it is, it's a strange aroma… I don't like it." Elle covered her nose. "I-I'm sure that it's just one of you." Tee claimed. _Bullshit._ I could TELL that he was lying about that. _He's hiding something from us. _"Tee… why is your underwear like that?" I pointed out. "Yeah, it's not on all the way… what is up with that?!" Ess pressed him further. I decided to use my nose, closer to him. "! Girls, the smell is coming from HIM! More specifically, his only piece of clothing right now!" I uncovered. "And… what's that white goop on his hand?" Elle squinted. "Uuuuuh… I don't know what you're talking about." He replied to her question. "! No-! So he WAS mast-!" Ess was disgusted. I became livid from all of this. "YOU ARE SO REVOLTING, TEE!" We both screamed. "N-no, you have it all wrong!" He covered himself. We slapped him to kingdom come until he ran out of there. "And STAY out!" I shook my fist.

**Ex's POV**

I felt great in the bathhouse, recovering from the harsh day I had. Jay and Ai were there with me. I was talking to the latter about what had happened, in full. "Ough… That's something I'm sure anyone would be emotionally scarred by. YIP! ***cough*** Anyway, quite peculiar indeed, Captain." He said. "Ai, words could not fully describe that atmosphere. I'm not usually ever scared of anything, really… but that one scene did made me feel that way." I emphasized. "Really? I think the idea of being a dragon is cool! But… I do understand that with massive power, it requires control…" Jay quickly lost his enthusiasm. "Yes. I think that it's awesome too, but after seeing Dave lose control over himself… I'm still having second thoughts about getting any stronger than I already am." I frowned. "Hey, where's Tee?" Jay wondered. "I don't know where he could be, Jay…" Ai thought about it. "And STAY out!" We heard somebody yell. "YIP! Captain, what in the universe was that?!" The dog reacted. "I dunno, Ai… but we need to check it out!" I got up. We all dressed in fresh clothes, then left the bathhouse. I looked around to see if there was anyone nearby. Yui, Ess, and Elle came out of the women's side. "Alright, where is that little prick?!" Ess looked like a raging bull. Yui seemed to be just as pissed as her. Elle rejoined her brother, clutching his hand with her own. "What is going on here?!" I exclaimed. "It's. Tee!" Yui told me. "Huh?" I was bewildered, then Elle handed me something. "Wh-What's this?" I looked. It was a picture of Yui closing a door behind her. "That was Yui when she left the mechanical room. It was taken by none other than Tee." She explained. "Why would he take this?" I wondered. Yui came close and whispered to me. "... …" I became furious soon after. "SAY WHAAAAAAT?! When I get a hold of him-! ***sigh*** Let's find O, and then tell him what's going on. After that, we split up to search this ship." I ordered. We kept running for a while, then found O by the Tetra's cockpit. "O!" I called to him. "Pi?" "O, we need your help in searching for Tee, he's done something bad!" I told him. "PIPI PI!" He floated to us. "Alright, there's seven of us, and only one of him. He's bound to run into one of us eventually. When he does, we grab and restrain him. That's the plan anyway... All of us will go on our separate ways, except for Jay and Elle. You two will be together, since you feel better that way, right?" I pointed to them. "Y-yes, Captain!" They nodded. "We'll be able to cover just about everything like this. Any questions?" I stopped briefly. "..." "Okay. I'm assuming no one has a question or two, then…" I continued. I directed everybody where they will search. I told them that I decided to search around the captain's quarters. "Without anything else left, let's go find Tee." I spoke sternly. We then split up for the search.

**Ai's POV**

I looked about near the mechanical room that Tee was in earlier. _Now… if I was Tee, where would I be?_ I thought. "Hm…" ***clanking metal*** "Y-! Wh-who's there?" I shivered. I veered my head slowly to where the sound came from. ***squeak* **"***sigh*** It was only a mouse…" I calmed myself and continued looking.

**Jay's POV**

Elle was telling me what had been going on while we went about looking for Tee. "That's just so weird of him to do that, Elle…" I told her. "Yeah, it just didn't seem like him… but lo and behold, the picture of Yui is what ties this whole thing together. It's solid proof of him doing that." She said to me. We heard a door open close to us. "! Elle, what opened that door over there?" I asked her. "I don't know, let's see for ourselves, Jay!" She insisted. We came over there, only to see Yui. "Y-Yui?" We made our presence known to her. "Oh, Jay and Elle. I'm guessing you haven't made much progress either." She assumed. "Nope. Where could he be hiding?" I sighed. We decided it would be best to stick together for the time being, realizing that our search areas were next to each other.

**Ess' POV**

"Where is that son of a bitch, tee? ***sigh* **Seriously, what kind of sick bastard is he for jerking off to a photo of Yui? She only just came here tonight…" My mood was killed. I saw O going about his section. "O, how are things on your end?" I asked him. "Pi pi pi…" He sadly said. "I guess no luck then… Damn! If only we had caught him before he left." I went away from O to continue my end.

**Ex's POV**

Like I mentioned to the crew and Yui, I came to the captain's quarters. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything hinting to his presence. Because of this, I didn't stay around for too long and returned to the cockpit. When I got there, though... I noticed something was… off. "Hm? What is that smell? It wasn't here before. Whatever it is, it's peculiar… Where have I smelled it before?" I went on. I thought about the times, right about when my wife was still with me. "! This is-! … Semen! How does it have such a strong scent right now?" I spun around, hoping to find what I was looking for. I found him. I found him hiding away in a dark corner. "Tee…! Come out from there, this instant!" I ordered him. "E-Ex…" He shook. "This is unlike you, Tee! Why? Why would you do this? Yui became a daughter of mine tonight and you're already getting turned on by her?! You're not the kind of person that looks for this specific pleasure. Tell me why, Tee." I stared him down. "This… is something I've been hiding for a while… I jerk off quite a bit, ever noticed the weird breaks that I take during duty? It comes with being a young adult, Captain. And, I just found her attractive..." He answered. "Then you should be thinking and acting like an adult, and NOT as an adolescent! If you truly did like her, then you should've tried asking her out on a date instead. ... Those breaks you've been having are unauthorized. Anytime that YOU decided to take a break these days... was technically going against my orders. You'd rather skip out on your duty to do things like that. Then, you made convincing excuses as to why you couldn't complete certain tasks. Lying to me is a no-go around here. To think that I had respect for you these past few years, Tee… Stay here and do not scurry off, like you did before." I warned him that if he did, he would get a punishment worse than what he was about to receive. "Everyone... this is Ex, the captain. I have found Tee. Please return to the cockpit to be present." I announced through the intercom. "They'll be here shortly… to see the judgment call made for you, by me." I told him clearly. "Wh-what are you going to do to me?!" He demanded to know. "Patience. All will be known soon enough." I glared at him. The others came rushing in and stopped in a single file line. Even Yui was like that, which I was mildly shocked. "Now that everyone is here… I can go forward with my judgment for Tee's actions." I began to look at him again, then spoke. "Tee, for… masturbating to my precious Yui, disgusting her, Ess, and Elle, then running off to try and avoid comeuppance. And, for also skipping out on your duty repeatedly... for such a petty thing behind my back… as Captain of the SS Tetra; I hereby strip you of your role as Assistant Captain and you are no longer a part of this crew. Just remember, you did this to yourself. If I cannot trust you to maintain this responsibility in the crew, then you do not deserve it. You broke my trust in being a good and reliable person. How can I rely on someone, whose responsible thoughts were secretly clouded by sexual desires, especially for the case of Yui? I hope you understand the decision that has been made for you. After tonight, you exit tomorrow morning with your stuff, and never come back. Do you understand, Tee?" I made it known to him. "... … Yes, Ex." He spoke. "Go and cleanse yourself of that filth, then sleep." I said derisively. He nodded and went ahead. "Yui… and Ess" I came to her. "Th-thank you, Father…" Yui hugged me. "That's what a parent is for..." I patted her. "Yeah. Thanks, Papa." Ess joined in. "No problem." I smiled slightly. Everyone turns in for the night, with me thinking to myself. _After Tee is gone, who's gonna be the new assistant captain? ! Maybe… _I figured. I fell asleep after going through my mind with that.

Morning came by in no time and I saw Tee pack up, like I told him to. Everybody saw him approach the hatch, but then he turned around with a serious expression. "***sigh*** What is it now, Tee?" I wondered. "Ex, I'm only going to say this once. … You're making a huge mistake by kicking me out of the crew. Being part of the Tetra's crew was my passion, ever since we first met. You may not see it at this moment, but you will in the future. I swear that with my life… You won't find another person just as capable for the role of Assistant Captain as I was. When you realized that... don't come crying to me that you want me back, unless if you are sincere." He said to me. "Tee, I have just proved you wrong." I told him. "Wait, what? That's impossible, who could possibly replace-" He was interrupted by me. "Yui." I answered. "Huh?!" She exclaimed. "Ex, that's ridiculous and you know it to be. Yui's just mostly sexual eye candy from her body. If she could do a job... she can be a model, not an assistant captain of a damn starship! I honestly don't know what the hell you are thinking as the captain and her father. She probably doesn't even know the first about how to run things here. She's far too inexperienced with this. At least I had knowledge about this stuff! Yet... you decided it was time for me to kick the bucket... so that you can have Yui take over the role. She'll become a liability to you and the rest of the crew, I guarantee that." He finished. "Then I'll teach her how to perform the duty. You think that I'm not going to give her any sort of background beforehand? You're more foolish than I thought, Tee. I knew before this morning that I was going to have to start training Yui the ins and outs. I ultimately went with that choice over keeping you around. This is how much I love her as my second daughter... Remember, I was the captain of this ship before you were. I've been in a situation like this before. So to put it simply: I won't regret this final decision. You are through, Tee... leave already." I emphasized, then told him to skedaddle. "Tch." He walked out with the things he had. I closed the hatch behind him, then fired up the Tetra's engine. It flew into the air and I drove it to a different location. "Father, did you not consider how I am right now?" Yui came up to me. "Trust me, Yui… I know what I'm doing. I looked at you from that day… I saw the gumption you had. Your sense of determination and resolve is strong. You would make for a great assistant captain. I only need to show you the ropes of the job, and I know that you'll do fine. I have faith in you, my angel. You will be a natural at it." I smiled. "Resolve…? I dunno if I have that… but if you have faith in me as your daughter… Alright, show me." She eventually accepted.

* * *

**Author's Notes: A lot of things went down on the same night Dave went back to Suzuran, after he reverted from an incomplete dragon form. Ex gets Yui settled into the Tetra and she goes into the bathhouse. She finds out that Tee has the hots for her before he books it. Ex hears a commotion outside of the men's part of the bath, then figures out what was going on. He hunted Tee down, then elaborated the punishment he was going to deliver to him, in front of the rest of the crew and Yui. The next morning rolled by, with Ex telling Tee who the new assistant captain was going to be. He disagreed with the man, saying in a nutshell that she was too inexperienced. Ex kicked him out, then closed the hatch to fly away. He promised to Yui that she would get the hang of this new job placed on her. She finally agreed to accept the role as the assistant captain. Next chapter, Chapter 31: Midterms. **


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: ****Midterms**

**Dave's POV**

The new week arrived to me, like a delivery truck. I wasn't sure whether I was fully prepared or not for the midterms. Ringo gave me the same wonderful smile she always did. "You ready for this shit?" She asked me. "As ready as I can be, I guess." I replied. We got ready, then left for Suzuran High. We met Lemres, Feli, and Risukuma on the way. Us as a team, reassured ourselves that we can pass these things. "I have faith that we can do this." Feli said. "Let's see if that faith sticks like glue, Feli." I added. "Hm… wouldn't sticky sugar be a better adhesive for our faith, dude?" Lemres wondered. "That's not important, man. What matters is us showing the school how smart we all are." I responded to his question. "Heh. Yeah, you're right." He smiled, then retracted. "Intelligence is one of the biggest strengths a human can have… and I suppose squirrel bears count too in this instance." Risukuma spoke true. "Mhm. Of course, Ris." Ringo nodded. "Although, I'm still a bit worried about the things we struggle in…" Feli brought up. I stopped walking for a moment and the others followed suit. "Hey, this is what we've been working towards. We all worked hard to get to this point of no return. Doubting ourselves now could kill our chances to succeed. It's all or nothing here… placing in the academic bets right here, right now. We won't yield to arduous questions and whatnot. Instead, we keep going no matter how rough they get. It's like people say… _"When the going gets tough, the tough get going"_. Think of these as battles of sorts… except, you don't use power or magic. We need to use our brains effectively and efficiently. In other words, figure things out as you go along… but don't meander. Of course, we don't have a whole lot of time in these classes to finish the midterms. So we have to really manage our time in a meaningful way. Who's ready to have their brain handle that kind of stress?" I threw my hand into the middle of everyone. Ringo placed her hand on mine first, then Feli, third was Lemres, and Risukuma put down his paw last. "Let's ace 'em all!" Lemres hollered. "Yeah!" We all came in. That provided everybody with the needed motivation. Fast forward to biochemistry, me and Risukuma wished each other the best of luck. The test began and the room was silent. Every student had their eyes glued to the papers they were given. Honestly, this one wasn't bad. I felt rather confident with answering the questions correctly. One of them asked about how a Puyo's anatomy was structured. I clearly remembered that one, at least. It was the first thing that I learned in this school, so I found it to be memorable. I didn't really struggle with many of the stuff in it, but the test itself took me a while. This was only because of the question amount being high. I finished ten minutes before class ended, so I waited for the teacher to end the session. We handed her the papers, then they went into an automatic grading system. The machine graded the test papers stupidly fast. The scores were then presented on a screen. It turned out that I got an eighty-seven percent, and Risukuma had ninety-eight percent. I wasn't too shocked by his score because I expected him to do exceedingly well. As for mine, I accepted for what it was. Going into calculus, I knew that this class' midterm was going to be by far the hardest for me. "Dave, just remember that I'll be with you in spirit for this." Ringo smiled at me. "... Alright." I nodded. This test was almost an utter nightmare to trudge through. I say _"almost"_ because at least it had the decency to have every problem be multiple-choice. At least I was able to guess on anything I did not have an answer for. Besides that, any work that I did to solve these problems, was on a blank sheet of paper. When I finished all of it, I was relieved. Getting to the score process, I had a solid seventy-six percent, which I was perfectly happy with. In fact, it was better than I anticipated it would be. It might have still been in the C range, but that was a well-fought win for me. Ringo congratulated me for my score. "See? You pulled through. I'm so proud of you, Dave." She hugged me. "Thanks, Ringo." I chuckled. She got a perfect on hers, which I still found it crazy that she was a math whiz of the highest degree. On to English, I had every right to feel like the most confident young man in the world. I wished the best of luck for Feli and Lemres This one, as I thought, was the easiest for me. I knew that I was getting into at least the mid 90's range. My score came in as ninety-nine percent. Even I was impressed with myself for that. Feli had eighty-four percent, then Lemres got ninety-nine too. "Yo, nice job, Lemres. I'm shocked that you scored that high." I smiled. "Hey, I've been workin' hard, Dave. It's only natural that I get results like this. Could ya maybe... give me more credit next time?" He admitted. "Ha. Yeah, certainly. It's just that you have once again, exceeded my expectations." I said to him. "What about me, Dave?" Feli felt like she was being left out. "Don't worry, I wasn't ignoring you, Feli. You did well too, my precious little badass." I buttered her up. "G-God… you're embarrassing me…" She blushed. "So uh… how did you guys do with the ones from the earlier classes?" I wondered. "I pretty much aced 'em too, ninety-four and ninety-six." Lemres told me. "Eighty-three and eighty-five for me." Feli followed. "Niiiiiice. Now, it's just history's midterm and we'll be done with the testing. Let's just hope Ringo and Ris can manage too." I gave them a high-five. I told them about my breakthrough victory, concerning the calculus midterm. Feli hugged me after hearing it and I did the same. We left English for history and this one was moderately challenging, in retrospect. It was probably the second hardest for me, but still not nearly as bad as calculus'. After I finished this last one, my results came in at eighty-two percent. I was always someone who would hover around the B grade range for social studies classes, so this was standard. Feli's was ninety, and Lemres had ninety-seven. I knew at this point, the three of us kept our overall grade C or higher.

All of us were joyful of this outcome. We had the absolute freedom at long last, to talk a good deal at lunch. "So what are ya gonna do in Ms. Accord's class for today, Dave?" Lemres came over to me. "It's hard to say precisely what, Lemres. With a looming threat closing in on us, we might not have the time for normal lessons. This leaves it up to one option… training. There are problems though… I'm too strong for my own good and the others have yet to substantially increase their power. This is the main one I'm concerned with. Dude, you've seen me as a dragon. You saw how I lost control and laid waste to Vyle, mercilessly. Never do I want that to happen again. I almost killed one of my greatest allies in cold blood... Ex. How can I save people if I'm a burden like this?" I felt depressed for that minute. "Dave… I understand your frustration. You're predictin' that you'll only cause trouble for those around you. That assumption may not be wrong… but there are variables that you can alter." Lemres told me. "Exactly, I'm sure you will find a way to cope with the dragon form. If you can learn how to control it, we may have a chance." Feli came to sit. "I dunno... This is the dragon of the demons we're talking about here. I may be full of good heart and intent, but not while I'm in that form. It's full of dark and evil energy that flows more than a river. It can be summed up like a storm on the ocean, chaotic and wicked might… Let's face the facts, I turned into a hellish beast that day and it wasn't myself. The only reason why all but one of us survived, was that Ex came through for me. For that reason, I wish that I'd be stronger without being a dragon. I don't need that negative energy to kick major ass. I'm not sure what it does to me, it's… like corruption. That's the best way I can describe it." I sulked. An announcement then came in after a minute of us not talking. _"Attention to all half-students, the special vehicle is now working properly again. You now don't have to manually travel to Primp Magic School any longer." _The voice then goes away. "Jesus, finally… What took them so long?" Feli wondered. "Hey, at least we don't have to travel there by ourselves." Lemres smiled. "I do find it odd though…" I thought. "What's odd about the fixing of the vehicle, besides the fact that it took so long?" She asked me. "That's exactly it though, Feli… _"Why did it take so long?"_. That's the question in my mind right now. If they knew how it functions, then why did it take over a month to fix? A week? Maybe, but certainly not a month. Something strange is going on here… and I'm not sure if I like it." I told them. "I agree. There's somethin' that the school's not tellin' us." Lemres nodded. A couple of minutes pass by without us saying another word. "Where's Jace? I need to find him." I begin looking about. "There's no need to get up from where you are, Dave. I am already here." I heard his voice. "! J-Jace? What are you doing here?" I asked him. He still had this serious expression that he always kept. "As soon as I heard that announcement, I became suspicious and felt like I needed to alert you… but, it looks like you are thinking the same thing as me." He said. "Yeah, they should have addressed what took them so long to do it… They're keeping that reason in the dark, whatever it is." I nodded. "This is out of my authority to do, but I'm going to find out what the reason is. Gilbert will help me out with this mystery. We'll eavesdrop on the staff's conversations, then relay the information back to you." He promised. "Why me though?" I scratched my head. "Because, I trust you. It is as simple as that." Jace explained to me. "Okay… Well, if you happen to get anything out of place from that, let me know." I told him. "Consider that bit done. Let's make sure that we have contact with each other on the phone… and I'll come back to you as soon as I can. I am a busy guy, so I can't always just be doing this. Plus, me and Gilbert doing our jobs will divert the staff's attention away from us. It'll be beneficial just to take this slow, but not too slow." He ran off. The bell rang after that conversation and we left. "As long as we can ride our way to Primp, I'm satisfied for now." I sighed. "Yeah, we'll just get on over to potions class, and it'll be good." Lemres put his hands over my shoulders. The vehicle comes and we enter in with the other half-students. Traveling there, Feli squeezed my arm tightly. She likely wanted to slip in her love on me. Lemres enjoyed me and her showing affection to one another. We exited the vehicle and came into the potions class.

The bell clapped a couple of minutes later. "Okay class, it's about time that we get back on track. Last time when I went on with the current lesson, I was taken by a vampire lord. Thankfully, this guy is dead now so we don't have to look out anymore. Anyway, I briefly mentioned how you need to stay calm with creating a mixture. I say this because it's absolutely essential for maintaining the best possible quality. The richest potions come from minds that are the most eased. Keeping tranquil thoughts in your heads and staying positive is great for this. Worrying will only worsen the way you go about making a potion. So today, it'll be less on actually making the mixture, and more about keeping your cool. Any questions before we start?" Witch lectured. I and the rest of the class remained silent. "... Huh, that's weird… expected at least a question or so…" She rested her head on her right hand. "***cough* **Alrighty then… I do have to say, there is gonna be a caveat to this. Dave, I know that you are unfit to do this right now. I can tell there's a lot on your mind… and it would be unfair to have you do this like everyone else. I'll have you do something… special for me. Class, I won't be here to watch over you for this period. Lemres, could you watch for me? If you do great, I'll have you excused from the assignment all together~." She proposed. "Uh... certainly, Instructor." He nodded. "Hey! Why do those guys get off easy?!" An angry student asked. "Child, if you knew what happened during the day that I was KIDNAPPED… you would understand." She glared at them. That seemed to have shut them up real good. Witch led me outside, where she brought out a broom. "Witch, where are we going?" "Dave, don't ask questions when you may not be prepared for the answers." "Well… then, could you tell me what's going on?" "***sigh* **I brought you with me because I figured out how you can control that dragon form and go complete with it. Can you fly?" "I can, with this. Hrah! I'll follow wherever you take us." "Just try and keep up with me." We flew for quite a while we arrive at an unfamiliar place. "We're coming in for a landing." She told me. "Alright." I nodded. We landed softly on the ground, then Witch told me to disengage, to which I did. I continued to follow her where we came up to a house. She knocked on the door and a few seconds later, a familiar face showed. "D-Draco?!" I looked up. "Oh hey, Dave! … And… Witch…? What is this?" She wondered. _She didn't tell Draco beforehand why I came with her? _I questioned in my mind. "Draco, y'know how Dave lost control that day as an incomplete dragon?" "Yeah… what about it?""I figured out a solution to fix that." "Oh! Well that's something. Lemme guess, you need me for it?" "Yup." _Witch is really talking more… casual. _I noticed. We went inside the house, then I saw living room. It looked comfy, I will admit. "Dave, sit down and put out one of your arms. I'll hold on to it in the meantime." She told me to. "Sure…?" I complied. "Draco, use your fangs to bite into his arm." "W-what?! I'm not a vampire!" "***sigh* **Do you want to make Dave better or not." "W-well, of course I do." "Then do it." The dragon girl sank her fangs into me and my arm began to bleed. "Agh-!" I winced. "Stay still, idiot!" Witch zoomed in close to me. "... Okay... what's the next step?" I asked. "I sprinkle some temporary magic on Draco… and her fire will be enhanced. What I'm trying to accomplish is to dispel the evil deep inside and convert it into valor. How this'll be done is by making Draco's fire go through your veins. Therefore, it can travel to every part of your body. I basically made the fire a purification method. It's strong enough to burn that hidden wickedness, but not your body. If you were worried about your body burning up from the inside, don't. Just take in the burns like a champ, 'kay? It'll all be fine~." She explained. "That doesn't exactly sound reassuring, especially considering that I'm already in PAIN!" I complained. "Hush, boy. … Draco go ahead and LET 'ER RIP!" She grinned. The fire came and I was dying. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I screamed. This went on for what seemed to be an eternity. Me feeling the burn… and screaming constantly. It finally stopped when a blue puff of smoke appeared. "***cough cough* **Okay Draco, that's enough. It looks as though it worked like a charm." Witch stopped her. "... … … Oh thank God… ***cough cough***" I breathed in and out. I passed out from all that screaming and internal trauma.

**Witch's POV**

Dave's mind conked out completely from the purification process. His arm was still bleeding, so I decided to whip out a bandage roll. I remembered to keep one with me for this. I did the obvious thing and covered up the fang punctures. "There, he should be fine now." I said. "It hurts me to see him in so much agony…" Draco held on to his hand. "Why do you care about him so much?" "Because, I love him. Didn't you know?" "No. I've never seen him fawnin' over any girl in the past while I taught him." "You're his teacher? … Anyway, he thinks I'm lovable in my own way." After she said that, it kind of flipped my switch. "That's infuriating, what about me? Doesn't he think I'm a treat?" "Witch, you're too old for him, that's prolly why…" "Bitch please, I'm only a couple of years older than you... it's honestly not that bad!" "You admitted it yourself, you run a class with him in it. Student and teach relationships are taboo for a reason. Also, you should know that he is in on an affair with another girl too, that I will say for the record… is fifteen. It would be even stranger if he had lovers that filled out an age discrepancy of at least five years." "Wh-?! How many girls are in it with him?!" "Three. That would be me, Feli... and this other girl, Ringo." "Th-that's an entire harem! Oooh...! It's unfair! I thought Dave was cute, and then you and those two come in and steal the love. I was gonna seduce him one of these days." "Witch, I never thought that you would be such a harlot..." "What?! Y-you take that back! 'Sides, that ain't even the right term to use anyway!" My speech broke out into an unprofessional mess. It happens whenever I lose myself from time to time. My vocab switches drastically as a heavy speaker. "There you go again, your speech is going down the drain, Witchy." "Argh! Nevermind about that, Draco! I'm gonna sit on him until he wakes up. Let's see how he will react to that..." "W-wait, you can't! Definitely not in MY house!" "Sleep, beast!" I blasted her with dust that made her fall asleep. I caught her body before it could hit the floor, then rested it on a nearby chair. "Alright… let's move you to that couch…" I dragged Dave's body and laid it there. I made sure to have his wounded arm hanging by the open side of the furniture. This is to insure that no blood would gush out. I took off his shoes, as well my own boots. I at last, remained on top of him for I would say twenty minutes. I couldn't say for sure precisely how long. During that time, I felt his wonderful body. I took a grab at his firm abdomen and rubbed my body against his. I licked his partially opened lips, eventually transitioning into a kiss. This made me want him more for myself. However, I knew that I would constantly fight against three girls for his sexy body. I sighed at my unfortunate issue shining with prevalence. Dave started to open his eyes and jumped a little.

**Dave's POV**

"! W-Witch?! What are you doing on top of me?!" I exclaimed. "Isn't it obvious, Dave? I waited for you to wake up." She smiled. "Then you should be sitting in a… chair…" I looked off to the side, seeing that Draco was asleep. "Why is Draco asleep now?" "Oh child, worry not about the little things. Ohohoho~!" "I'm being serious, what happened while I was passed out?" "Jeez, you don't have to be so serious with that, hun." "Tell. Me. Witch." "***sigh* **Alright. Looks like I'm not going to have anymore fun today…" She discussed with me about this _"almost"_ lovers quarrel and all that while I put my shoes back on. I was unsure on how to feel about Witch thinking that I look irresistible to her. I didn't want to know what she did to my body while my brain was shut off, but I ended up learning the what anyhow. I didn't feel the same love for her and she was an instructor on top of that. It just… felt wrong to me. "I'm sorry about this, but your love is going to have to be unrequited, Witch. I like you as an instructor, but no more than that. Do you understand? Besides, we have already done what we came here to do, let's go back." I tried getting through her head. "Very well, Dave…" She sighed and slipped on her boots, saddened from my words. We left Draco's house and closed the door behind us. While flying back to the school, Witch didn't say anything. I kind of felt bad about rejecting her "_love"_, but it was the right thing to do. Coming back to the ground, I get a text message from Ringo. _"Hey, I passed the other midterms, Dave. Thanks for the knowledge I needed in English. Love ya! Later!"_ My heart felt better from that after it nearly burnt to a crisp. We enter back in the class where Lemres and Feli came to me. "Yo man, where've you been?" Lemres wondered. "We were at-" I say before Witch covers my mouth. "I was just having him do a task that is not worth talking about." She obscured the truth. This move of hers made me furious. I wanted to tell the truth to Feli right then and there, but Witch denied me of that. She walked me over to a remote corner and whispered to me. "If you tell them about what went on between us, you are DEAD, ya hear me?" She forcefully pushed her finger against my chest, twice. Her tone scared me a little bit, so I nodded and promised not to tell. "Alright Lemres, how have things been over here?" She went over and asked him. "Well Instructor, things were smooth sailin' the whole time. I kept my eye on 'em without a problem." "Great! Nicely done, you are excused from the assignment." "Suh-weet!" Lemres did his own little dance as like a showoff. "Heh. That goofball…" I commented. For a split second, Witch looked at me and made that _"I'm watching you_" sign. Unbeknownst to her, Feli saw the very motion directed to me. This of course seemed to make the purple-haired lover of mine curious. Class ended with the bell clapping and I made my way to Accord's classroom.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends get through all the midterm exams and passed. During the time that the potions class goes on, he is taken by Witch to Draco's house. She figured out and was able to rid Dave's body of evil deep inside. That's not all she did though… Witch attempted to woo Dave after putting Draco to sleep. Our guy rejected her love, and they returned to Primp Magic a bit before the class ended. Next chapter, Chapter 32: One-on-One.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: One-on-One**

Class started like how it usually does whenever we had a day in for training, but with a twist. "Kiddies, after the devastation that was Dave's dragon form working incorrectly… I felt it was best if Dave was alone and taught by one person for the time being. I reached out to… a friend of mine for this. Should he lose control of it again, this individual here will be able to stop him. Most of you, especially you, Dave… should already who he is. You may come in here now." Accord spoke. We heard footsteps, then the guy came in. He was none of than Ex. "E-Ex?! He'll be my one-on-one mentor?!" My body jerked a bit from the seat I sat in. "Huuuh?!" Amitie, Ringo, Lidelle, Raffina, and Yui followed. "Dave, think about it, this makes sense. We all saw Ex break your incomplete dragon form with a single punch." She explained. "B-but, that's only because it occurred from Ex lamenting the loss of Zed!" Amitie pointed out. "That may very well be so, Amitie… but, I'm the strongest person, besides from Dave, that anyone knows. I am easily the safest option in this situation." He said. "Father, you have a starship to take care of, and I'm here for school. Why did you agree to do this?" Yui asked her new parent. "Yui, this is how much I care for Dave. As soon as I got a call from Ms. Accord, I accepted without hesitation. And… it's okay, your sister is watching over it this afternoon. She was glad to do so for my own wishes." He told her. I was naturally confused by what Ex had stated. _Why is Ess looking after the Tetra? What about Tee?_ I thought about in my head. "S-so, Mr. Ex is really here...?" Lidelle bashfully asked. "Hey, it's been a while since I've talked to you and Raffina, Lidelle. How have things been?" Ex lowered his tone. "O-Oh, it's been fine... b-besides Dave's little accident, Mr. Ex." She stuttered to him. "Yui, it's been decided by the three of us that you'll be going to Ms. Rulue for the training, full-time. I think your power is perfectly fine, we just need to cover that combat weakness of yours." Accord told her. Yui nodded to those words and we started the training. Ex took me to be alone with him in the woods. "So, are you ready to be mentored by me?" He waited for an answer. "Ex, wait. There's something I have been meaning to ask you, since you showed up to class today." "Sure, go on." "It's about the ship's status of being watched over… Why is Ess doing so when you have Tee?" "Heh. I understand, you're not aware of this… Here's what you need to know. Tee's no longer in the crew, we kicked him out." "Wh-what the hell is this…? Wh-why would you do it?" "Trust me, there is a very good reason for that, Dave." Ex explained to me about what happened on that one night. I dropped to my knees in disbelief and my jaw remained open. "No way… how could he? Keeping a dirty secret? Skipping out on his duty irresponsibly? J-Jerking off to Yui on that night…? What the hell happened to him?! I thought he was a normal guy that just happened to be your right-hand man… but then that-" I twitched. "I know how you feel… When I first heard about everything, I was steaming mad. Hopefully, leaving Tee out here by himself will teach him a valuable lesson. Speaking of teaching… we should get on with this. Go in that dragon armor, we're doing this." He transformed. "A dragon warrior against another one, huh? I'm still not entirely sure that we should be doing this, but this sounds intriguing." I followed suit. "At this level, neither of us should be seriously injured and you can go all out, Dave." "If you say so, Ex." I took the first move with a fast jab. Ex caught it with the palm of his hand. "Don't tell me that's all you got, boy!" "Heh. I'm just getting warmed up!" We went at it for a while, but all that it came out of it was exhaustion. "... … … Maybe we should stop, this isn't really getting us anywhere…" I stopped. "... … … Agreed." Ex nodded. We took a break to have ourselves catch our breath. "It's impressive how much a new power can change any tide, Ex." "Yes, indeed." "So you used that to free me... it explains why you're so strong now. ***exhausted chuckle***" "Dave… I know that we'll be Primp and Suzuran's heroes, with us both being dragon warriors. But… I sensed a change in you… I can't put my finger on it. It's like the hidden evil in that one form of yours was eradicated." "Oh, that's because it was." "What?! A-are you serious?!" "Yeah." "So then, you could've transformed further if you wanted to...! Why didn't you do so?" "To be frank… I'm still not sure if I should. Even if I am in control of it, you know how dangerous it is. That aura I would produce is no joke by any means. Even when taking that detail out of the equation, the energy I would have seems to rival that of a god's. I… was able to feel it. And, that was just the incomplete version, imagine the sheer power developed in a complete version of the form…" "That's crazy, I knew dragons from stories to be powerful, but this is just out there..." "Hm?" I heard some rustling about. "What is it, Dave?" "I hear something, let's see what it is…" Ex nodded and followed me to where I heard it. "That shrub right there, it's moving." I pointed. "What do you think it is?" "I'm not sure, Ex." I approached the plant and look behind to see someone. "T-Tee?! What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed. "Wait, Tee?!" Ex jumped to the back side of the shrub. "***sigh* **Don't tell me you were doing what I think you were-" Ex stopped. "No, Ex. I just listened to your conversation with Dave before you two fought." Tee said to him. "Why? And, how did you even find us?" He glared at him. "Well, you see… I just happened to see you and him walking here on a whim." His answer came out to be. "On a whim? I don't buy it… and what the hell, Tee?! You can't possibly imagine how much your actions pissed me off, much like how Ex felt!" I grabbed hold of him. "C-can I still say sorry?" He pleaded. "NO!" We yelled at Tee. "No amount of apologizing will make us change our current view of you, Tee. You became a disgrace among the crew, we've been over this!" Ex brought to his attention. "So you hate me then… is that it? You don't give a damn about what happens to me anymore?" He asked us. "What are you getting at here?" I looked at him straight in the eye. "You feel like I should be killed based on your expressions, yes? You want me to die of a bloody death. You think I'm someone so scummy that they should not live anymore." He continued. "What? No! There's a reason why you were left out to live by yourself! Again, you should know this already. I wanted you to learn a lesson in all of this!" Ex slapped him and took over the conversation for me as I let the guy down. "***cough* **Really? That's not what your face tells me, Ex. But… it seems to me that we are now mortal enemies…" "Can you honestly say that? You're staring at TWO dragon warriors, there's no way you could feasibly beat us in a fight." "Ex, I was also the captain of the Tetra at one time, remember that nonsense? You took over as Keeper of Dimensions after somebody else, you never told me who… just to _"protect" _Ess. Who I will mention for the record... is an absolute BRAT! She never liked me, and you know what? That's completely fine, because I didn't like her ass either. It made me question why you were doing this, mainly for her of all people! Tell her that I said that, tell her that the bitchiness she carries is UNBEARABLE." "You son of a-! ***sigh* **Mind telling me why you are bringing this up NOW of all times?" "Ex, the point that I'm trying to make is that while I was the captain for that time… I had acquired a power that is unlike anything ever known before. I witnessed your dragon armor, and Dave's too. They pale in comparison to what I have… and now that I'm away from the Tetra, I can unleash it on you and him! After I take you out... Ess is next, and I'll finally be with my lovely Yui at long last." "Wh-?! What have you done, you bastard?!" "Allow me to show you…" We saw him convert his own body to a shiny figure with feather wings. "Wh-what is this insane energy, Ex?!" "I dunno!" The very force of this energy pushed us back like a whirling gale. We instinctively went back into our armor to avoid being blown away. "Behold, my celestial form." Tee presented us. "Celestial?!" I could not believe it. "Like an angel?" Ex guessed. "Not exactly, the root word refers to a relation with space. I cannot believe that you don't know that, _"Captain"_." He corrected him. "You dare drop my current title in such a disgraceful manner?!" Ex pointed at him. "That is besides the point, Ex. You will both die here." He told him. "Like hell we are!" I dropped on Tee. "Fine, be delusional in the fact that you two are about to be sent straight to Hell." He sentenced. "What about Ringo? Don't you care about her too, Tee?!" I brought up. "You stole her from me back when Yui didn't exist, you asshole! Ringo told me that she had fallen for you during the time we were all at the Puyo Isles. I knew her for a lot longer than you have! And, just when I was about to lay down my love for her, I get a bombshell dropped on me… You're the one who made me who I am now... and it's all your fault that you ruined my life! Finally, I hate how you two are "_best friends"_ for life. My former captain neglected me and focused on a friendship. I'll obliterate you right here and now, Dave! Consider this judgment of MINE, Ex. … Tee Striker!" He threw out an attack so fast that I did not see it at all. "GH-! N-no way... I didn't even see him fuckin'... move… ***cough*** Ooooough…" I dropped down to the ground. "DAVE! … … That's it, Tee… you have pushed things for the last time… I understand why you're going about with this now… but this doesn't excuse you. FAAAAAAAALL!" Ex screamed his lungs out. "E-Ex… no, stop! He's too powerful!" I winced. "Such a shame that things have to end this way, Ex. Had you not kicked me out, none of this would be happening now. You'll regret that you ever revoked my status as the assistant captain. Hrr!" He zipped at Ex, causing the former keeper to almost die. "Aaaaagh! … ... It doesn't help that I haven't fully recovered from that night… ***cough cough* **Looks like this is it... we're both down and no one knows that we became mortally wounded. Dave, let's just be happy that we'll die... together, pal. ***cough***" "Ex…" I started to say something, but a miracle seemed to take shape. "Dave, Ex? Where are you?" Somebody called out for us. "Th-they're out looking for us?" I moved my head to the side. "Damn, it's the peanut gallery! I'll take my leave now." Tee disappeared. "N-no- Hold on!" I called in pain. However, it was too late. He was already gone. Our armors then faded away into nothing. "There they are! ***gasp*** No! Dave!" Ringo saw me. "F-Father!" Yui came over to Ex. "Oh God, what?!" Amitie reacted. "What the hell happened here?" Klug wondered. "Me and Ex... were attacked." I told my classmates, Accord, and Rulue. "Attacked?! By who?" Rulue asked me. "T-Tee..." I answered. "T-Tee?! N-no… I-I refuse to believe it! There's no way that he would EVER do this, I know him! H-he is my friend!" Ringo shook her head. "Ringo… I know- ***cough*** … how tough it is to believe. But, please... I'm telling you the truth here. He nearly killed the both of us... almost effortlessly." I was on the brink of passing out and Ex was like that too, but for death. "Let's just have these two healed up before either of them die. Ex looks like he is nearly dead…" Accord proposed. I weakly stood up by myself, but Ex just continued to lay there. "I'll pick him up." Tarutaru volunteered. We came back to the classroom to recover extensively. "I… don't understand, Dave… Why would Tee do this?" Ringo came to me. "Ringo… it's because of me. He was in love with you… for I guess a while before we went to the Puyo Isles. He was... going to tell you that when you were alone with him there, remember that moment? Tee realized today that I was another enemy to him and swore that he would bring death to me. This is not just because I _"stole"_ the first loveof his life, but that I'm also buddy-buddy with Ex." "Why does he hate him now all of a sudden?" "Ex took away his authority as the assistant captain and kicked him out of the crew. Once you hear why, you'll never view Tee in the same way again... methinks." I elaborated to Ringo about the night that Yui began to live in the Tetra. The others heard my words as well. She became not very… talkative after it was all said. "..." She could only go onto my lap and cry her eyes out. "... Ringo…" I won't lie, I shed a tear or two because I hated to look at her crying. The rest of the room became silent from this tearing of emotional heartstrings. Four minutes later, Amitie goes in to say something. "M-Maybe we can fix this cruddy mess by having Tee make amends." She proposed. "Nuh-uh! I am completely against that idea!" Yui crossed her arms. "Amitie… I dunno… Even I'm not sure we can change him for the better… Besides, how would we go about doing it in the first place? Where would we start? It just doesn't seem possible given his newfound hatred for me and Ex. And if that wasn't enough, he's also after Ess." I sighed. Ex woke up from his near-death and panicked. "***gasp*** Where are we?!" He bellowed. "It's okay, we're safe." I calmed him. He sighed and laid down again. "Ex, we were just told by Dave about what happened to you while out in the woods." Accord approached him. "... What did you all think of it?" He asked everyone outside of me and Yui. "I just want Tee to make amends with you and Dave." Amitie told him. "Well… that isn't happening, Amitie… Why should we have him do so... when he thinks the fault lies with us? He's not gonna just change on a dime, you know." Ex stated. "B-but... this is like the other times when Dave had to fight to save someone from their own blind view! I'm sure that we can have Tee see things differently with enough determination!" She insisted. "Did you not see or hear him? Anyway… he seemed fully committed and ready to kill me, Dave, and Ess. He even had a transformation that tells me this; He isn't going to change under any circumstances. He called it his _"celestial form"_..." He went into further detail. "There is one thing that confuses me though… Why didn't he just kill you and Ess on that one night, Ex? I mean, I know he said that he needed to be away from the Tetra to do so, but why is that the case?" I wondered. "I'm not entirely sure on that front, Dave… It must have something to do with whatever is inside the ship. It's like… preventing him from using that transformation. Now, I have no idea what this thing could be… but, I know that Tee will try and look for that very thing. However, as long as Ess doesn't let him inside, which we shouldn't need to worry about… he won't be able to search for it." He turned his head toward me. "Well then…" I looked at my hands. "Dave and Ex, I know how much you want to resolve this... but we are not fit to fight at that caliber at the moment. We will become nothing but dust in the wind if we do so now." Accord said. "Basically... we're all screwed, meow." Popoi summed up. None of us even noticed the cat until he jumped to be with Accord. "P-Popoi?" I looked up. "It has been a while since we talked, kitten." He stared at me. "Yes… yes it has…" I lost interest. "... I guess all we can do is not do anything about this Tee guy until further notice." Rulue sighed and sat down. Class time ended after we were fully healed. "Well, have a safe trip back, Ex." I waved to him. "Likewise." He copied.

I left for Suzuran with Ringo and returned home. "Ringo, this is tough for you… I don't know the full backstory of you and Tee, so could you tell me as we walk back?" I requested her. "... Sure… Like I said before, he was a good friend back then. We met when these blocks called _"Tetriminos" _rained down on Primp and Suzuran. They're like… Puyos, but far less squishy. And, one of these things can literally crush your bones into tiny fragments. Luckily for you though, they no longer exist in Suzuran and Primp, as long as Ecolo keeps them at bay." She started. "So that's one of the reasons to be a keeper…" I noticed. "Yeah… they came crashing in. Then, me, Amitie, and Arle were transported to the Tetra... after meeting up unknowingly behind Suzuran Junior High, just before this came in. That's when fate had me meet Tee. I kinda freaked out at the time and I assumed that he was the one who brought me there. He used the power of the Tetriminos to defeat and calm me. And... that's when our little adventure began. I met back up with Arle and Amitie, then we all crash landed in Suzuran. The Tetra was stuck in the roof of Junior High, then we looked for scattered parts with the crew. Eventually, we gathered enough to make the ship afloat once more. Along the way, a few people became a little… out there, from the appearance of these Tetriminos. To this day, no one knows why this happens… but, they make them think differently. They basically become brainwashed and seek out for destruction. The _"kookified"_\- Not even sure if that's actually a word… -stay like that until they lose in a fight involving both Puyos and Tetriminos. From fighting Satan and trying to pry out what he knew, he gave us a lead that would in turn, bring us to another lead. That's when we learned of the Keeper of Dimensions, and then met Ex some time later. Skimming over the rest of it… we finished our excursion after leaving the edge, then said goodbye to each other. Throughout all of those trials and tribulations… me and Tee enjoyed each other's company. Now you know why he was once such a good friend of mine, Dave." She ended. "..." I felt bad for her. This has been the second time now that she has had some really bad recent turmoil with a friend of the past. It was very tragic to have this occur once, but twice? I couldn't fathom the emotional pain that she was going through. "Dave, isn't there going to be a day where you turn on me too?" She contemplated. "Ringo…" I was in a lot of that same pain. You're gonna be like Maguro and Tee, right...?" "... No. I've had friends from my world turn on me. I know exactly what it feels like… I was miserable. But, when I first traveled to Suzuran… you found me unconscious on the grass. You reminded me how important it is to live life to the fullest with friends, before I even knew right then and there. You were the first person I became close with in years… I got out of my social turtle shell because of you. I got to meet all of these wonderful people because of you. I had the pleasure of experiencing love for the first time because of you. Ringo, I could never turn my back on you after all of these things that you did for me… and for myself. I wouldn't be the person that I am now if it weren't for you. You got me out of a rough time in my life, where I was cynical and alone. Where... I was so depressed and lacked enthusiasm for much of anything. So please, I don't want you to go and think I'll do the same as those two. No matter what it seems, I'm not like them. I will ask you this incoming question, Ringo. Do you trust me? Yes or no?" I stood in front of her. "Do I? … …" She gave it a lot of consideration in her mind. "... Well?" I waited. "... I… Yes. I do trust you, Dave. I can see that you are certainly not like them… Let's go home." She held my hand. "Woah- Okay…" We came to, after walking the rest of the path.

I opened the door to let us in, then we were met with a shock. "***sobbing***" It was Ringo's mother crying in a corner. "M-Mom! What's wrong?" She came up to her. "***sniff* **Oh, my child… and Dave too. I have bad news… Ringo, your dad... was found dead this afternoon." She dropped. "D-Dad is dead?!" Ringo began to shed tears. "No way… Mr. Ando… he's gone." I collapsed to the floor. "What happened to him, Mom?!" Ringo wanted to hear the story. "Ringo, I don't know what happened... All I know is that he died from a cause that wasn't natural. I loved that man... now he's no more. ***sob***" Ms. Ando and Ringo cried their eyes out. I might have not known the man, but I could feel the weight of losing a family member from those two. We stayed silent as we came together for dinner. The overall feeling was just so somber after learning of Mr. Ando's death. Finishing up, me and Ringo clutched each other all the way to the shower. Still not talking... we washed up, got clothed, and went in our rooms for the night. I couldn't stand Ringo feeling all of the emotional gut-punching at one time. I laid in bed, sulking and holding on to a pillow. "Why…? Why her? Why did it have to be her? Ringo didn't do anything wrong… Yet, why are all of these devastating things happening to her? First, Maguro became a scumbag and died, then Tee became one as well… He's now wanting to kill me and Ex... And now, Mr. Ando is gone… What did she do to deserve any of this…? I don't understand…"

**Satan's POV**

I came to look around Dave's surroundings for the evening. "Hm… it looks like Dave needs a guardian angel… he's looking rather down. I'll grant him a visit." I came to his room in a small portal, then saw him quietly sobbing. "... Dave." I called his name with a whisper. "S-Satan…? What are you doing here?" "I said this when we first met... I'm kind of like a guardian angel to you, since you are a demon. I came to push you through this tough time. Don't worry, Ringo's father is up in the clouds for a life of everlasting happiness. May he rest in peace, that poor soul..." "... Do you know how he died?" "... … Do you really want to know, Dave?" "... Yes. Tell me, please." "Alright, this is going to hit your gut hard too… just warning you ahead of time. … Tee killed him." "Huh? But… Tee's in Primp, isn't he?" "Apparently, he somehow traveled to Suzuran through via a portal, then saw him. I don't get his exact motive though… why would he kill him?" "I think… I know the answer, Satan. This is his way of exacting revenge on me, since he couldn't find me." "F-for what reason?" I told him about the events that made Tee this way and he was stunned. "His celestial form… I thought he was a good person, but he allowed himself to be corrupted by hatred this for you… Dave, we have to stop him. If you don't he'll kill you, Ex, and anybody else that stands in his way. … Hey, what is that near the desk over there?" "This?" "Yeah, isn't that one of Witch's… what do you call them… charge vials?" "N-no, I made this with Lemres and Feli one day in a class she teaches. I… kind of forgotten about this little number. I could've used it against Vyle, but I my mind just wasn't focused on the vial at the time… and it was here in the room, from what I can remember. But maybe… if I split it fifty-fifty with Ex at our strongest, we may have a chance." "It won't work like that." "W-why not?" "If a person drinks it, then they have to drink the whole dose to be boosted properly… otherwise, side effects could kick in. Did Witch tell you anything about side effects?" "Now that I think about it… I do recall her mentioning side effects. However... she didn't really say what the potential side effects were." "That's not anything too important, you just need to know that the side effects are not worth the risk in splitting the vial up." "But then… with only one of us, neither I or him can take on Tee. Dammit, there must be something we can do…" "... ... ! Dave. Remember when I fused Yu and Rei into one spirit, Yui's?" "Yes…? What of it, Satan?" "I can also fuse bodies together temporarily, but I have to be one of the fused to pull it off. If you allow me to fuse with your body, we can become a stronger individual. Then, as one, we can consume the whole vial and become even more powerful." "A-a legit fusion? Will that work?" "I'm not entirely sure, I haven't personally tried it yet. I gained this power recently, so it may not be ready to go." "Still, we have to do something, it's worth a shot." "I suppose, Dave… I suppose… While you go back to Primp Magic School tomorrow, I will watch over the area to see if he shows up. I have a feeling that he will... since he knows the way. I'll take my leave.. You have yourself a good night and please bring that vial along, I implore you." "Alright, bye." I left his room and went back to my domain.

* * *

**Author's Notes: After Dave and Ex spar with each other, they encountered Tee unexpectedly. After an exchange of bickering, it was revealed that Tee now hated Dave for stealing Ringo from him. The former assistant captain showed off his celestial form. This form of his crushed our duo to near-death. Luckily though, Dave's friends saved them from being completely annihilated. The group faced several problems after our main character told them who was the attacker. Ringo couldn't get over the emotional weight of it... Dave and Ex were powerless, and clearly, no one else had the power to fight back against Tee. Satan visited Dave in his room for emotional support, but then he saw the boy's charge vial sitting around. This gives the prince of darkness an idea that might work. Will this tactic work? Will Tee show up at Primp Magic School to really kill Dave and Ex? Next chapter, Chapter 33: Fusion?**


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: ****Fusion?**

**Dave's POV**

I woke up the next morning to get ready for school. Remembering last night, I pocketed the charge vial for later. I went out of my room and saw Ringo in her room, in front of a mirror. "Ringo… did you change your hairstyle?" She noticed me approaching her. "Yeah… I gave the events of yesterday a lot of thought, as well as all the stuff with Maguro from the past. Before... I tried to just forget about the past, like you told me to. Although, no matter how much I tried… it always came back to haunt me. Now though, I'll embrace the past and be a tough girl. My change in hairstyle will reflect that development of mine. I ditched the ponytail curls for this. I realized that they didn't make me look like a proper young woman... And so, I turned them into legit twintails. H-how do I look?" She asked me. "I think you look lovely… and nice going with embracing the dark parts of your past, Ringo." I said. "Thank you so much, Dave…" We hugged wholesomely and it felt great. Me and Ringo walked to school, feeling a little better than last night. We met up with Lemres, Feli, and Risukuma. "Girl, you look different…" Lemres noticed. "Hey, she does look different… I think I prefer this look of you, Ringo." Feli complimented her. "Th-thanks, Feli." She blushed. "So... Lemres, Feli… about yesterday..." I started. "We already know, dude. Amitie felt like she needed to tell us about Tee causin' problems. It's unfortunate… he was a great and formidable rival of mine, then he turned over to the dark side." Lemres stopped me. "Oh… okay." I kind of stared at Ringo, more enticed with her than before. "What are you staring at?" She looked at me. "Umm, well your body has this really fine look now- ACK!" I was electrocuted by her. "***sigh* **Please Dave, not here... and certainly not now, you dumbass. I'm not exactly in the best mood at the moment." She became irritated. "S-sorry, Ringo." I got back up. We went through the school day, working as hard as normal. Then, lunch came around. "Ringo seemed to be bothered by something more than what that Tee guy did to you and Ex… do you know what's up, Dave?" Feli came up to me. "Well, her father was killed… she doesn't know what caused it, but I do." "What is it?" "Tee killed him… can you imagine how livid Ringo will be if she finds out?" "Ooooooh, she'll be piiiissed." "Mhm. She'll want to give him absolute penance, but she is nowhere near as strong as him. Ringo will die in like two seconds to him." "So, how do you know this fact, anyway?" "Satan informed me of it, also…" I had summarized that entire exchange of words to Feli. "Fusion… that could work… If you and him combine to be one and drink the vial… it might be enough to match Tee's strength." She nodded slowly. Lemres came in to be with us. "What's this _"fusion" _about, guys?" He wondered. I explained to him as well about the fusion. "That seems to be kinda neat to me. So you're plannin' on fusin' with Satan and drinkin' the charge vial afterwards… Yep, pretty smart to me." He nodded. "That's IF the fusion works as it should... If it doesn't, we'll have plenty of issues on our hands." I covered an eye with my hand. "Well, we won't be there to cheer you on, Dave… but, we believe in you." Feli kissed my cheek. "Yeah, we know you won't let us down, dude." Lemres added. "Thanks, Feli and Lemres." I smiled slightly. We left after the bell rang and went to Primp for potions class.

The bell clapped as the class began. "Alright class, settle down. … Yesterday, I had you all test your mental stability. Today though, will be quite the opposite. Your mind will be pushed to think fast with this assignment. You will have only thirty minutes to collect ingredients for another potion. So think of this being similar to the charge vial one, but rushed. Also, this is one of the few times that combat will be utilized. That's right, if you see an ingredient that you want, but somebody else has… you'll have to take it from them in battle! Just make sure you do it quickly, since there's little time. And this time... you are all on your own, so no groups. This will strictly be a solo effort. Lastly, I'll be watching each and every one of you from this crystal ball. Understand, class?" Witch spoke. "Yes, Instructor." We all said. "With that being said… I'll transport you to the area that has the following. Make damn sure that you remember this ingredient list, because it's going away now. So… off you go, children~!" She teleported us away. _Crap! So we're expected to not only get all the ingredients that we might have to fight for, but also to navigate back to the classroom in thirty minutes?! This is fucking outrageous! And what if I have to fight my friends? _My mind went crazy. I arrived in a small grassy plain, just next to a forest, along with a few other students. I was able to pinpoint that I was just outside of the woods I've been going in and out from. By this point I partially knew where some landmarks were. It's not like I was still lost or anything. I was curious to see if my transformation would be allowed, but fuck if I ever got a rude awakening before. I heard Witch's voice coming into my ears, as if it was at the end of an earpiece. "I should have mentioned this to you personally, Dave… if you transform, you will automatically get a big, fat zero on this. So don't do it, you'll end up steamrolling the other students into mushy paste!" She told me. "Wh-what?! How are you even speaking to me right now?!" I looked around. "***sigh* **Don't think about that, you're losing time dammit! You may not know the entirety of the woods, so I'll lead you into the right direction if you feel lost." She continued as I began to run. "Why are you helping me? You said it yourself, this is a solo effort." "I realize that you're not very strong without that crazy armor of yours. In fact, you seem pretty average right now." "Your point?" "I want you to succeed without resorting to your _"deus ex-" _… whatever the hell you call that term. Just be resilient outside of that form, Dave. You may run into Schezo, since he seems to be getting annoyed from everybody coming near his cave. I'll take care of him if he stalls your progress." "Gee, thanks for the insight…" _I don't know how he'll do anything to stop potential students from loitering by that rock… His sword broke in that scuffle with Vyle_. I rolled my eyes and looked about for the ingredients.

I saw the first one being held by a random male student. "Perfect." I launched a spell at the guy. "Hrr! Cryogenic Bomb!" "Wh-what?! Aaaaaaaargh!" He dropped what I needed and continued. I soon found the second one by a tree, alone. A couple of minutes later, trouble found me. "I'll be taking those from you." A female student tried to snatch them out of my hand. "Buzz off, I don't have time to play with you, lass. Lightning Clap." I denied her. "Gyaaaaaah!" She flew back and I high-tailed it out of there. I saw the third one hidden in thick grass and grabbed it. By the time that I was searching for the fourth, I looked through the more familiar landmarks. The only one that I didn't go to was near Schezo's cave, for obvious reasons. So, I got lost after some exploration. Because of that, I was forced to slow down. "Ya need some direction, boy?" Witch's voice came in again. "***sigh* **Yes, I do. Also, your tone seems… different. What's up with that?" I wondered. "That's just how I am... I'm less professional when speaking outside of class or alone. It's hard to say what it is. I guess it's just called _"change of the tongue"_? I dunno… but, you're close to another ingredient. It's by your left somewhere… I think." "You think?" "Hey! Even I don't remember all of those dang locations, Dave!" "Okay… I'll be going off on your words." I turned to the left for a look. _! It's Feli, she has the item I seek, but I don't want to fight her_. I shook my head. "I'll look somewhere else…" I moved away. "What?! Why aren't you gonna get that from her?!" "Because Witch, I want me, Feli, and Lemres to all complete this thing. I'm not fighting my friends, you got that?" "Fine, be that way. Just for that, I won't help you at all now, since you are so stubborn... you're on your own." Her voice left me. "Tch. I swear..." I went to leap across the trees to get a better view of things. "Candy Blast!" I heard Lemres conjure up. "! He saw me and is now firing in my direction! I guess my friends are desperate enough to steal from me." I dodged and landed on the ground. The tree behind me turned into partial candy from exposure. "Lemres, I thought that you were better than this." I spoke to him. "Nah, I just wanna good grade for this like you do… and if I have to fight ya to do so... then I'm goin' all out, Dave!" He expressed. "It's funny, I haven't really seen you fight up until now, let alone against me." I stood strong. "Hm? Aren't ya gonna transform, dude?" "No, I wasn't allowed to." "Well then... a shame, really… I was hopin' for a good tussle, but it looks like the instructor disappointed me. It wouldn't matter anyway, I know what the limit of your form is. And… I could've just turned the armor into candy, knowing how much abuse it takes." "Wh-what?! How long were you keeping that a secret from me?" "Is it really relevant to talk about that here? 'Sides, were on a strict time limit. I'll make this quick… Gum Wad!" Lemres shot a big wad of gum where my legs were. I might have been able to avoid it if I knew it was coming, but this guy was hiding some tricks from me. "! Sh-Shit, I'm stuck!" I stayed in place. "That's the entire point of the attack, Dave. I'll be takin' those three off your hands, if you don't mind. And, goodbye! ***chuckle***" He grinned. "N-no! Come back, Lemres! Dammit! This gum is too sticky! Hrrrrrrrrr!" I tried getting out.

No matter how much I struggled, I couldn't get myself freed from this gum. Then though, I realized what I could do. "! That's it's! That pond is very close to me. If I can just push my own body into the water, the gum will lose a lot of its stickiness. The problem though is me being super stuck… I still have time, but not a lot left. I need to make this count…" I reached toward the water, but to no avail. "Welp, it looks as though I'm too stuck…" I sighed. "Hey little, guppie. You seem to be flailing a lot, mind if I get'cha unstuck?" I heard an echoey voice. "Huh? Who-?" A big fish jumps out of the water, in front of me. "W-woah!" My body jumped in place. The fish examined my predicament just after he came up on his two legs. "Whale, whale, whale... you seem to be in one mighty sticky pickle there, fella." "Um, excuse me… but who are you, exactly?" "Why, I'm glad you asked! I'm the funkalicious, water traversin', and dancin' fish known only to the world as-! Suketoudara." _This is so bizarre..._ I witnessed. "Anyway, what's your name, kid?" "Dave." "Aw, that introduction was so borin'! Don't you have ANY enthusiasm?" "I would be more in line of that if you can get me out of this gunk." "Right, right, right… I'll have you outta there in a jelly." "And how are you going to do that?" "With this! ... Riptide!" He summoned a small wave of that pond water to splash on the gum. "Alright, let's see… ! Yes, I'm freed! Thanks, Fish-man." "It's… Suketoudara, don't ya go and forget it." "It's hard to pronounce, but I won't forget." "Good... take care, lil' guppie." Suketoudara leapt back into the water, not to be seen again. "Okay now, where was I?" I went to search around again through the trees. A single minute later, I found every item I needed in one spot. _Hm? This could be a trap… I need to be careful_. I noticed. I quietly snatched the items and dashed off through the trees one final time. "Shit, I need to get back, like right now!" I looked at the time. I sped up the pace, to where no one could catch me. "Hold up, Dave! Hand over those to me!" Feli demanded. "Sorry Feli, no can do! I worked my ass off for these!" I zipped away in a hurry. At last, I came out of the woods and ran to the class. _Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three…! I made it! _I sighed in relief. "... Oh thank God…" I stopped running. "Well, Dave… I wasn't expectin' you to free yourself from the gum, how didja manage that?" Lemres wondered. "I'll tell you, Lemres. I was watching everyone... specifically, Dave… and he got some… help." Witch told him. "! You saw that?!" My jaw dropped. "What? Did you seriously think I buzzed off completely? Ohohoho! You make me laugh… but, you did what you went out to accomplish. Although yes, you had outside help that I did not allow or anticipate. Still, your efforts warrant a pass for you to do the second part of this. And to think, you did it without your big armor… my charming pupil~." She pinched my cheeks. "Oooow! C'mon, thish is childish, Inshtructor! Shtop it!" I flailed my arms a bit. "Step off, I don't like what you are doing with him." Feli puffed her cheeks. "Alright, I will. It is to my understanding that you are one of three girls that is in love with Dave… am I correct to assume it to be so, Feli?" "Wh-what? What are you talking about? Th-that's ridiculous, right Dave?" "Y-yeah, that's just inconceivable, Feli." I nodded on a whim. "C'mon you two, don't lie to her like that…" Lemres pressured us. "So she IS a lover of yours, Dave. I thought that was the case…" "What made you guess that?" "Oh, I didn't just guess, I knew already." "You WHAT?! H-how?!" "Draco told me yesterday. So Feli, along with Draco, and another girl, make up a trio of harlots…" Feli didn't take Witch's comment too well. "W-We are NOT prostitutes of his! He's not paying us to get down and dirty with him, we have legit feelings for Dave!" "Then why the harem, girl? Oh! Lemme guess... he can't decide on the one girl he should love, and he just hogs you three all to himself." The other comment struck me hard. "Ah-!" "Hm… judging by my assumption and your reaction... I must've hit the nail on the head, Dave! Oh… you dirty boy…" Witch embarrassed me. "***sigh* **Can we please move on to the other part of this class period, Instructor?" I requested. "Oh-! That almost slipped my mind entirely… yes." She recalled.

We stood there as Witch brought out the same cauldrons from before. "So… what're we gonna make from these…?" Lemres asked her. "Since that first part of class was stressful, I thought it would be fitting to make a potion that calms anyone's nerves in a pinch." She said. "Eh?" I turned my head to a side. "Does it have a name?" Feli brought up. "Yes, but it's a boring one, the calming shot." She gave us. "... Like a shot of… whiskey?" I scratched. "I suppose, it does cause the consumer to be a little drunk." She nodded. "So then that plant item there must have a natural additive or somethin' that is also put in alcoholic drinks." Lemres concluded. "Correct, Lemres. This plant develops a substance that it adds to itself after growing for some time. This is why you are historically my best student. Remember what I said yesterday, regarding the process of making potions in general. Forget that and you'll be in a world of pain from me. It's simple to understand, but if you dare to muck it up… there'll be consequences!" Witch stared at us semi-menacingly. "W-we understand, Instructor!" We all bowed our heads. "Good. I'm sure that you three can do the rest on your own. Oh yeah, just like before… no helping each other here." She went back to observe the other students. _Okay, if I do this right… First, I add the mineralite, then wait for it to settle and dissolve. Secondly… add the pinch of honey and give the mix it a good stir in a clockwise direction… What the hell…? Why does the direction of which I stir matter here?_ _… Bah! I can't just go off on my own preferences. I have to do what this thing shows and tells me. Alright… Third, place the lobster grass inside and don't stir until one full minute passes. Fourth, add the mint leaf, then stir slowly for thirty seconds and let it settle for that same amount. I guess that's why this potion's called the calming shot... Finally, put in the clear clover and repeat the stir process from step four. The potion is then finished after all steps have been done properly. _My mind processed. "Phew. It looks like it came out okay…" I looked. "Dave, there's no telling whether this potion's good enough if you just look at it. No, you have to smell how strong its scent is. If it is weak, then you got it right. ***sniff* **Hm… there's almost no scent to be had… that's astounding!" Witch praised me. "Wait, seriously? Dave got it nearly scentless?" Feli could not believe it. "Heh. The dude is always surprisin' me in new ways… he might've just outdone MY work. Hehehe." Lemres smiled. As it turned out, I had the prime calming shot compared to everyone else's. Lemres' mix was the only one to get very close to the level that mine was at. The class ended and I went to Accord's room. I recalled yesterday night as I entered in silence. Satan promised that he would look around the area and warn us of whenever Tee arrives. Rulue and Ex were already in there with my classmates.

I came over to talk with them, saying that me and Satan have a sinking feeling Tee will come soon. "Huh?!" They reacted appropriately. "W-when, Dave?!" Ex asked me. "We don't know exactly, but Satan's looking around the premises as we speak. And don't worry, we formulated a plan last night to stop him at all costs. Should he find Tee coming this way… he'll warn us ahead of time. No matter what, we'll be ready for this strike. Just make sure you tell Ms. Accord about this too. I need all three of you to be on the same page so that class doesn't really begin." I said. "Y-yes, of course!" They nodded to me. My classmates looked at me, unaware of the event taking place… that included Ringo as well. I took my seat as class _"began"_ a couple of minutes later. "Hm? I see… Well kiddies, we will have to postpone classwork training for now. Dave brought to our attention... that Tee is more than likely coming here today, intending to kill." Accord made clear to them. The others gasped from shock, specifically… Ringo. "He's coming… here?!" Amitie exclaimed. "Yes… we don't have much spare time. The school has to know that it must brace for any potential impact. This may come about with students and instructors being killed in the midst of it… There needs to be an evacuation in place for this, no?" I stood up. "H-hold on! We don't even know for certain that he's-!" Ringo was stopped by me. "No, I sense his overwhelming energy, he's coming! Dammit, where's Satan?!" Satan came by without another second lost. "He's approaching, Dave!" He told me quickly. "Alright, thanks for the heads up, man! Let's get ready to rumble!" I dashed out and around to the outside. Everyone else followed me out as well. I kept running until I was in the area between the school and the woods. "! Tee! So you've come for us!" "Yes, and I will destroy you." "Come on, Tee… this isn't right! You were a good person, then you betrayed the trust of others. Not just Ex, but also Lemres, Amitie, and Ringo-!" "Don't speak of that last name to me, jackass! You ruined my future life of love with her… what gives you the right for you to say that I'm in the wrong in all of this?!" "Tee, that is just how to cookie crumbles... you can't force people to think and believe what you want!" "That's what you think… Bah! This is damn argument is meaningless! If we can't agree on anything, we might as well fight to the death!" Ringo came in to my aid. "Tee, stop this! Just because I chose Dave… doesn't mean I don't like you. I'm still your friend at the center of it all!" "Ringo, how can you possibly say that with a straight face… when you love him over me?!" "L-look, I'm sure we can work-" "_"I'm sure that we can work something out!"_ What the hell kind of sorry excuse for apologizing is that?! No, you shattered my feelings, you heartless bitch!" "! N-no… I'm… not heartless…" "Guess what?! Since you were heartless to me, I did the same." "Wh-what?" "Ringo, I'm the one who k-" He was interrupted. "No, Tee! Keep that goddamn mouth of yours shut!" Me and Satan demanded. "Dave? Do you know something that I don't...?" Ringo turned to me. "No, it's nothing. He was just going to feed you lies." I said. "Teeeeeeee! We will put an end to your misguided path!" Satan swore. "Oh really? And how will you do that, Satan? From what I've heard, you're not as strong as you were in the past… And then there's Dave and Ex, they didn't stand a chance. So, what makes you think that even all of you combined will defeat me?" Tee wondered. "Heh. Actually… that's what we were somewhat hoping for, but not in the way you'd think. I plan to fuse with Dave, so that we can kick your sorry ass and make you stop this." Satan told him "F-fusion…? This isn't just a bluff, right? Tricks like that won't scare or deceive me." He doubted. "So you doubt me then, Tee? Here, allow me to show-"

Ringo stopped Satan. "Wait! I want to know what you and Dave are hiding from me." She demanded. "We're not hiding anything from you." I insisted. "Dave, when will you learn to let the truth out?! Ringo, I'm the one who killed your dad!" Tee let out. "! …" Ringo became pale. "That's right... How does it feel to have something taken away from you? You now know how that feels… it must be painful. "TEE! You- You killed somebody?!" Ex's anger erupted. "Oh Ex, must you always be the false moral compass? I did it as a punishment to Ringo without her knowing that I brought her it… for choosing Dave over me." He emphasized. "How deplorable can he be?!" Yui expressed. "No! You took that too far, Tee! I will not let you get away with this, you son of a bitch!" Ringo yelled at him. "And so, the bitch that deserved retribution bites the hand that she once knew… how despicable." He replied. "Satan, you can fuse with somebody, right?! Fuse with me! I'm taking down this bastard if it's the last thing I do." She requested. "B-but-! Ringo… I didn't plan on fusing my body with yours. There's no telling what the result will be! And… we're not going to kill him..." He told her. "I don't care, this is now my fight!" She rolled her hands into fists. "***sigh* **Fine… I'll fuse with you instead of Dave." He gave up. "R-Ringo! I can't risk you holding back Satan's power level! … Tee wants ME to be killed by his own hand, not you. Please, don't do this, my love!" I insisted. "You stay the hell out of this, Dave! This is my fight now… he murdered my dad without any regrets. Do you think he'll just realize his faults after he mercilessly killed an innocent person?!" She spat at me. "B-but…" I tried speaking more. "Dave… I think you should let her do this. She's too fixated on this… Besides, me, you, and the fused can fight as an unbeatable trio against Tee. Do you agree with me?" Ex stopped me. "... Oh, alright… the outcome could be better like this. I just didn't want Ringo to be in danger." I nodded. "My friend, sometimes… you just have to let your comrades in arms do what they believe is for the best. You can't act as the say all, end of story every time... you know? Someone else has to take the helm for once. Have faith in her, Dave. I know that she'll be great after fusing." He told me. "Yeah… you're right, Ex. Hey Ringo, just promise me that you spare Tee's life. You won't be any better than him if you kill him." Ringo looked at me with frustration. "***sigh*** You really are a pacifist, Dave… I swear to God. … … Satan, I'm ready for this shit." "Hell yeah, that's the spirit, girl! Now, this may feel a little funny… so focus." "Right!" Satan seeped into her body, then it glowed brightly. Before our eyes, Ringo's physical body changed in type and size. The light show ended and I saw the temporary fuses body, unveiled. "Th-that body…! I… think I'm gonna burn up…" I persistently stared at her.

Ringo's new body was tall, her hair flowed in the air, and her eye color was now red. I got kicked at the back of my head a few seconds later. "Ow!" I fell down. "Now's not the time to be invested in that, Dave! Seriously, why is every guy around my age so fucking strange?!" Yui complained. "But…! The huge rack… the proportions... and the clothes…! Ringo never had that…" I reached up. Powerful lightning struck near me and I scrambled. "Gyah-!" I scrambled backwards. "Fool. If you fawn over this, compared to my actual body… I can guarantee that you won't be around to hear the end of it!" After she yelled at me with a mature tone, I trembled in fear. "Sh-she's scary…" I stuttered. "Now there's a lady that you don't want to cross…" Rulue observed. "So, where's this charge vial at? I have the mind of Satan in me, so I know that you were planning to use it after fusing with him… which of course, did not end up happening." "Here, catch!" I tossed it to her. "Good…" She popped the glass open and drank the potion. "... Heh. Yes... My power just multiplied by a good deal… like by 2.346368." She smirked. _Well, at least it's still Ringo with the mathematics… _I twitched while thinking. "How long is that fusion going to last?" I asked her. "I dunno, why are you asking me that? Either way though, it'll be enough to kick Tee's ass. Join me as support." She came into the forefront of the battlefield. "C'mon, Dave!" Ex urged me. "Mhm!" We transformed into our armor and joined this three-on-one air battle. "So you are all here… Dave and Ex, neither of you are worth my time with the level you're both at. Therefore, to insure that you will not be a nuisance… I trap you in a space of aura!" Tee declared. "H-huh?!" I exclaimed. "What?!" Ex reacted. Before long, me and Ex were both stuck in an aura that we could not break. "Dammit! This thing's tough!" I clenched my teeth. I didn't know why, but this stuff was also suppressing me. I couldn't transform as a dragon if I wanted to. "Now, Ringo… assuming if it is still you… If you manage to beat me by yourself, I'll let your boyfriend and Ex go. Should I beat you, they'll both die in a gruesome death." He laid down the conditions. "That's not gonna happen, Tee… I'll show you that you've been in the wrong this entire time, Tee. I've beaten you before, back when we visited the farthest edge of spacetime. If I was able to do it before, I can do it again!" She glared at him.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Tee arrived at the scene after Dave came into Accord's room with his classmates and Ringo. The group encountered him on a stretch of land in the middle of the school and the forest. After learning the truth about her father's death, Ringo became bitter over Tee's actions. She demanded that Satan would fuse with her, so that she could stop her former friend. With the body fusion becoming successful, Ringo came up to Tee, as did Dave and Ex. However, Tee sealed the two dragon warriors in a barrier of aura, unable to escape. He promised to Ringo that if she beats him, he would release them both. How will this scuffle decide things for our heroes? Can Ringo defeat a friend from the past who has gone rogue? Will the fusion last long enough for her to carry out this burden? Next chapter, Chapter 34: Tee's Morals.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: Tee's ****Morals**

**Arle's POV**

It was like any other day for us. Me and Carby enjoyed ourselves living a life without many worries. "Mmm. This is good… You like it too, Carby?" "Gugu!" We loved curry of all kinds, but nothing ever had beaten homemade. "Aaaaah… this is the life…" I cherished. "Gu gugu!" I smiled at my buddy. "Ah-! Damn. I guess this pain isn't gone yet. Ever since the day that girl possessed me… I've had this weird ache. It doesn't hurt so bad, but…" Then, Carby's ear started to twitch. "Gu?" He hopped down and approached the door. "Huh? What's wrong?" I asked the little guy. He looked back at me with a concerned look. "There must be something odd… do you know what is making you like this, Carby?" "Gu!" He ran out. "H-hey! Wait for me!" I followed him for a while, through the forest. I could've sworn that Schezo saw me run behind Carby… but I wasn't entirely sure. We ended up near Primp Magic School. "Woah… what is all that about?" I got curious. "Arle, what the hell is going on?" I heard Schezo's voice. "So, you DID follow me, Schezo! I knew that in some way, deep-down, you would." I said. "Tch. I didn't come to follow you, Arle… I just came to see what that was over there." He responded. "Hey… isn't that Ringo…?" I squinted. "What? It kind of looks like her, but she somehow has the power of Satan." He noticed. "The power of… Satan?" I was puzzled. "Anyway, I'm not getting anywhere near there. Ever since my sword broke, I can't use the dark magic that I'm known for. I'm powerless. You go on and do what you think you must do… This is none of my concern now, Arle." And just like that, he left on his own. "God… Schezo is just the weirdest guy…" I sighed to myself. I looked at the situation more closely and stumbled from shock. "! D-Dave and Ex are trapped! And, is that… Tee fighting Ringo? Gah! I'm so confused! What is going on here?!" I came to Amitie's side, wanting the info. "Amitie! What's happening?!" I requested an answer. "Arle…! This is bad, you need to know!" She told me everything, Tee was a bad guy in all of this. I couldn't believe what he had done. "Seriously, I don't understand boys…" I sighed. "We need to show him that it was all his own fault. Tee's thought process became warped and fueled with hatred." Amitie held on to me.

**Ringo's POV**

Me and Tee stared at each other for a while, watching movements. "Ringo, you getting in my way means that I will have to take you out too. I hope you realize what you're up against… because I'm not holding back." "Tee, you betrayed friendship and your position for this… I just want you back to how you were before." "You know that's not how things work… I intend on ripping Dave and my former captain apart, through and through. Nothing that you say or do will make me change my mind." "So be it... I WILL make you change, whether you want it or not!" I charged at him. "Lockdown!" Tee summoned a cube to entrap me. "Hey! Let me out of here!" I demanded. I thought it would be best to punch the cube to shatter it, but it didn't work. "Damn, it's not working. Let's see if it can stand up to this… Lightning Pulse!" I struck one side, then the electricity just reflected off until it faded. "Hey! A little help here, guys?!" I called out. "I'll get you out! Thrust!" Raffina jumped and smacked her hand against the cube, breaking it like glass. "Now, Lightning Strike!" I raised up on hand and swung it back down fast. Tee took a direct hit from that attack. "AGH-! Damn yoooooooou!" He crashed to the ground. "Why don't you just give it up, Tee?" "Never, bitch!" He got up close to me, figuring it would be the best way to avoid my magic. "I was told to never hit a girl, but now I don't give a shit about that common courtesy act. Yah!" Tee punched my face with the force of a deity. This fighting seemed to continue on as an eternal struggle. Neither of us would go down without harming the other. Then, the charge vial's boost had worn thin. I could also feel that the fusion was about to end. "Shit… I don't have much time…" I panted. "You're vulnerable! Teeeeeeee Striker!" I wasn't paying attention and he inflicted a direct blow. "Uuuuuwaaaaaah!" Falling to the dirt, I had split from Satan. We laid on the dusty ground, in shambles. And if that wasn't bleak enough, Dave and Ex were still trapped in Tee's aura.

**Dave's POV**

"! RINGO! SATAN!" I yelled my lungs out. "Dammit, Tee!" Ex cursed him. We were both super pissed at the outcome pouring before us. "Ex, we're punching the crap out of this aura together! We can't let Tee do these heinous things anymore. If neither of us can get through to him, then who will?" "Yeah, Dave! As Captain of the Tetra, I need to set him straight!" We nodded and launched an all-out fist assault on that aura. "Hrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" The aura began to crack in small sections. "Ex! Crevices are beginning to show, don't slow down!" "Right!" This flurry lasted until the entire aura released us, then disappeared. "Tee, you'll no longer confine us to that… because I'm really pissed off and will stop you! Rrrrrrrrrrr-! ... **Just because you think what you're doing is fine, doesn't mean that it actually is! You… see this? I'm turning into a dragon again. This time though… I'm in control… of myself, and my own resolve! Here is the completed dragon form of mine! *roar***" I was angry at the time, but at the same time, it felt awesome unleashing the power of a real dragon on my accord. Plus, my voice became deep and badass. "Incredible…! Is he seriously in control as a dragon?" Arle's voice rang out. "**A-Arle...! You're here?**" I noticed. "Yeah, Carby was acting weird and he led me over here. Amitie just gave me the lowdown, so I know everything. "**Is that so?** **… Everyone, except for Ex... I still have this deadly aura. I'd suggest that you all run along before things get ugly. Oh, pick up Ringo and Satan as well. I don't want them to have a death so unnecessary.**" Everybody nodded to me and did just that. "**… Tee, let's go!**" I swiped at him with my claws, hoping to hit a slash. Tee however, was too fast and simply moved away. "What's wrong, aren't you supposed to be fast yourself?" He looked at me straight in the eye. We fought him for a while, I took the blows that Ex couldn't. "**Tch. I knew this wasn't gonna be easy… but I didn't think things could ever get this difficult. … … Damn that celestial form of yours.**" I squeezed my eyelids closer to each other. "If you don't like this form, then you will REALLY hate this next attack. Holy Lightray!" This attack charged up and was fired at me. "**Oooooooooough! Wh-what the hell was that?! This light burns!**" Ex became concerned about my suffering. "Dave!" He flew to my side. "It's quite convenient that you are a demon of all things… otherwise, Holy Lightray would have been far less effective." "**So then... are you actually an angel... like how it was originally thought?!**" I pushed my pain away. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't one… but I'm not a tradition angel either." He answered. "What do you mean, Tee?" Ex flew in closer to him. "To be specific, I am an archangel." "! An archangel? It's no wonder how you can be so strong. It begs the question: What makes you not able to go into this celestial form while inside the Tetra?" He asked. "Ex, have you ever heard of Tetrium?" "Tetrium? … I think I remember what that is… ***gasp* **Of course! It's the primary power source for the starship itself. But... what does that have to do with anything?" "I see, so you don't know…" "Don't know what?" "... Tetrium is a very potent element, as you should know. It provides ships with enough power for years on end, but it's extremely rare. The stuff explodes with the strength a hydrogen bomb when it collides with a solid mass hard enough. Besides that destructive downside though, as long as it has juice to use up... Tetrium is a suppressor of some supernatural abilities. Mine just so happens to fall into that category. That's why I was just my normal self inside the ship." I heard the two go back and forth. "**Tetrium? Can't say that I've ever seen or heard it before. So this stuff didn't allow you to be an angel inside the Tetra?**" "Correct… that element was an absolute thorn in my side. You should be thankful, Ex… it saved you from me wanting to kill you and Ess that night. Too bad it'll do jack-shit for you this time… we're nowhere near the ship." I stood silent as Ex lowered his head. "... Then we'll just have to drag your ass to the Tetra's interior so that you can't do anything." "And how will you do that? Your efforts are valiant, but just as useless. There's no way you can drag me all the way to it without a fight. Not even Dave as a dragon can hold me down… my Lightray demolishes his kind. So… what CAN you do? … Nothing, that's what. It doesn't matter if you have control, Dave… you cannot detain me." "**You goddamn…!**" I went in to grip Tee. "Gh-!" "**I'll toss you in there if I have to... I don't give two shits if you have something I'm naturally weak to. Once I do so, me and Ex will tell the crew to restrain you on the spot! Any last words before I whisk you off there?**" "Go to Hell! Demonic entities like yourself deserve nothing less severe than everlasting pain and torment. Release me this instant, you disgusting creature! Holy Lightray!" "**Hrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh-!**" Ex wanted me to let Tee go, so that I could escape, but I held him tight. "You'll die at this rate, Dave! Get away from him!" "**Don't… fret, Ex… …My resolve is too strong for some holy force to bring down. Where's the ship? Take me there.**" He acknowledged my resolve and I followed his lead. "I don't understand, why won't you die?!" Tee appeared livid. **"It's exactly what I said before, Tee. I would suggest that you pay attention to other people's words next time. I yield not to your power, because I have friends that I wish to protect.**" "There's the ship up ahead." Ex had me look "Hehehe… H-hey, let's just talk about this, guys. It doesn't have to be this way, you know?" "**Too late, you're getting thrown in there, Tee. We want you to sit inside and truly think about what you have done wrong.**" I informed him of the obvious. "Ess, it's your papa… I came back a little earlier because of a certain someone causing trouble." "***sigh* **I'll open the hatch, Papa and... what the hell...? Is that a dragon?" Ess opened the hatch for us. "**Alright, in you go…!**" "N-no, wait- Aaaaah!" I tossed Tee inside. I had shed myself of the dragon form and we flew inside. Ess closed the hatch behind us as Tee was just himself again. "Gee, what a fucking surprise… I surely didn't see this coming…" Ess sarcastically said, rolling her eyes. Ex alerted the rest of the crew with the Tetra's intercom. They all came running in and binded Tee in rope. "This is to ensure that you don't go off on your own, Tee." The captain said. "..." The guy didn't say anything, only standing with his head lowered. "Okay, you can all leave and go back to whatever you were doing." Ex told them. They nodded and did just that, leaving the cockpit with only me, Ex, Ess, and Tee.

The captain went out of his dragon armor, as I did the same. "Dave, follow me… we're taking him to a special place in the ship. I know that you haven't been here much, so you probably don't know about it or where it could be." "What does this special place have for Tee?" "Oh, you'll see…" Making our way to this location in the starship, we kept a grip on the rope. "A… cell…?" I saw. "Yes, Dave. This is where Tee will spend his days from now on, until the guilt inevitably consumes him." "Yeah right, Ex... Like that'll happen…" "Oh it will, I have already envisioned it. Now, go inside. We untied you of this rope, but that doesn't mean your free... not by a long-shot." Tee goes in the cell and Ex closes the door to lock it with a key. I looked at the time and jolted in shock. "School is about to end today... I must leave here and you need to pick up Yui." "Oh, really? Is it that time, already? I'll go to Ess, so that she can fly the ship back to Primp Magic School. Do me a solid and watch Tee for me." "Will do." He left me all alone with a former assistant captain that wanted to kill me. "I don't understand… why am I the villain of this story… and don't say anything, Dave. I'm sick of your preaching and stuff." "***sigh* **Tee… I don't like the fact that you threw away your friendship with Ringo, wanting to lust for her. You were someone who she could rely on, but look at what happened when you wanted to change… Then… you lusted for Yui, even though you didn't know her outside of that possession ability. You just thought she was hot... and did not consider how she would feel with you splooging all over her image. Plus, she didn't know you at all before that-" "SHUT UP! … Just shut up… and save your breath. I don't want to listen to this crap anymore." "Okay, just remember… you had yourself come to this end, not me. Don't say that I didn't warn you." I waited around in silence for a few minutes, then Ex came back. "What's the lowdown?" "He didn't want to hear anymore of my preaching… so I just left him be." "I see. Well, the ship will be landing soon. I'd suggest that you come with me." "What about Tee? Who's gonna watch him?" "Don't worry, I brought O into this, he's coming here for that." "Good." I nodded and we left the cell for the cockpit. "Hey, there it is!" I noticed the school off in the distance. "I'm taking us down there… now." Ess announced. The ship floated to ground level and the hatch opened. I saw my wonderful friends, as well as Accord, Rulue, and Witch. "Yoooooo! Dave!" Lemres waved his hands to me. "L-Lemres!" I jumped with joy. "Thank God you're fine, Dave." Feli ran up to me, then squeezed my arm and smiled. "Hehehe… Say… where's Ringo at? And... Satan for that matter..." I wondered. "Satan has gone back to his domain. As for the girl…" Rulue mentioned, then turned her head to continue. "...she's lying on that tree trunk over there." I took one look at Ringo to see. _Yep, still out like a busted light, I see…_ My mind assessed. I walked over to kneel next to her. All of her things laid out beside her. I touched her loose and delicate hands. I didn't had the chance to do so a lot in the past. The feeling therefore... was still rather new to me. Not exactly soft, but not too firm either. "The skin…" I commented softly. The school's bell clapped for the final time that day after I said that. I went to carry Ringo into the special vehicle after I said goodbye to everybody else. As I held on to her the whole way through, she still slept. We came back to Suzuran, and I continued carrying her towards home. A few minutes after that, she wakes up. "... H-huuuuuh? !" "Woooooah there… it's okay, Ringo. Everything's just dandy." "What... happened, Dave?" "You passed out with Satan after Tee hit you with that one attack. The fusion ceased just before you two hit the ground. Apparently, he came to a lot quicker than you turned out." "Where is Tee? Where's Ex?" "They're both back in the Tetra." "WHAT?! B-but-! Tee's gonna kill Ex!" "No, he won't… there's something inside the Tetra disabling his power. If that wasn't enough insurance, he's locked up in a cell. We won't need to worry about him now… This most recent event is over… but not the pain. Ringo… I'm sorry that your dad is gone." "W-why are you sorry? It wasn't your fault, even if Tee said it was because of you." "But… I led him to murdering the innocent man. Why does everything that we lose become so painful? Son of a bitch… … … ***sigh* **Let's… keeping going back, your mother is waiting for us." I put Ringo down and we staggered onward toward home. "We're back, mom." Ringo said, still somewhat depressed about that death. At the dinner table, I of all people begin a conversation. "Hey, it's not a good thing to continuously mourn for the dead… I know that it's your husband, Ms. Ando... but, people need to move on from the deaths of loved ones... to focus on their own life and the lives of others. Just sitting here, all depressed, will just eat away at your own time. I can tell you this, his soul is at peace. A good friend of mine told me this in truth." I said. "W-wait, what?" She reacted. "Dave, you knew how my dad was killed before me… Who sent you this message? I want to know." Before I could say anything, a figure appeared. "That... would be me, Ringo." It was Satan, he appeared in front of us, and this was the first time her mother saw him. "! What are you doing here?" I asked him. "I thought it would be best for me to say, Dave. I was the one who notified him about what went down in Mr. Ando's murder." He said. "M-murder… Uh, who are you?" Ms. Ando shook. "Oh, how rude of me. I am Satan, ruler of a… certain underworld. I can assure you though, I'm not evil. You have Dave to thank for changing me. Now, I'm more like his… guardian angel, or I guess guardian demon in this case. Whatever, it doesn't matter whether I am a demon or not. I'll need to explain everything to you, Ms. Ando… Dave, Ringo… I'd suggest you finish and leave. This will be an adult talk between the two of us." He made it clear. "Uh, okay…?" I stared in bewilderment. We ate the food and left Ms. Ando with Satan.

**Satan's POV**

The two were finally gone, so I laid the groundwork of this talk. "So… how about some of this food as you explain to me?" She suggested to me. "Hmm… The aroma is astonishing. I suppose having some couldn't hurt anybody… … This is wonderful…! I wish the chefs back in my domain would be this good." "I'm… glad you enjoy it. This was made from the very fresh produce from family business." "Mhm. So I see... I've watched some of the ways you guys make up these rich fruits from afar, I do find it fascinating. Now…" I told her about how her husband died, as well as what led to it. "I'm… not sure how to take this in…" "Yes… I wasn't sure at first either… After all, Tee was a good friend of Ringo's. I had seen it in his eyes back then… it was a sight to behold. And then… that very sight deteriorated into this… He had a good future, but threw it away like garbage. Perhaps Ex can do something to lead him back on the right path. I'm not entirely certain right now, because I can only see what's happening to Dave from my place." "I… can tell. ... Satan, I just noticed… are you… hurt...?" "Huh? Oh yeah… I got dented in a fight with Tee before Ex and Dave took care of things." I wanted to tell her how I got like that, but at the same time, I didn't. _Maybe I should- No, I can't tell her that I fused with her daughter. Who knows what she would think of that ordeal…_ "Well, I'm just glad that Ringo's safe, thanks you you guys." "O-oh… It was nothing, really…" I was a tad embarrassed. "My, you seem to be quite handsome…" "O-oh, really? Well, my looks are good indeed… I'm flattered, but I'm looking for another woman to love, Ms. Ando." "Have it your way. ***chuckle***" We concluded our discussion and I had bid her a farewell.

**Tee's POV**

_Being inside a cell sure is unfulfilling… but, I'm trapped in here, so there's not much I can do about it. About three hours have passed since I entered… God, time is never on anyone's side. _My brain resented. I heard footsteps closing in on me, but I didn't know who came. My head was just facing the wall during this time. "Tee…" A voice called for me, and I now knew who it was. "... Yui, what are you doing here? I thought you resented me so much." I wondered in irritation. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I still hate you... for right now anyway." "What do you mean by _"for right now anyway"_?" "If you truly regret everything that you have done, I'll forgive you. When I first talked to you in the mechanical room, I saw good in you. It's still possible for you to be a good guy again." "What makes you say that, even after all the hate you threw my way?" "My father trusted you. He relied on you to get the job done whenever he couldn't. He enjoyed you helping him with missions in the past. See here: Had you just been like a normal lover-guy and asked me out on a date, instead of what you did on that night… I would've respected you. Trust me when I say this… You might've won me over with your looks, barring the tight jumpsuit." "Why does EVERYONE make note of this outfit and describe it like that when they first meet me…?" "That's because it stands out as painfully obvious and strange." We kept talking for a while, and then Yui brought this up. "At any rate, you have some charm… You could have kept your duty and been happy with trying to get a date from me. I don't want it… I'm not sure if I can take that responsibility, despite what the captain said to me." "So you would rather pass it along to someone else… Even if you do forgive me, and Ex for that matter... I still…" "Tee… girls don't like forced sexual awkwardness from boys. You need to know this so you don't get hate from them. I already know a guy that's kinda like that... and Dave still tries to get through to stop him, no matter how pointless it initially seems. This guy gets beaten up over the fact that we girls are violated by perversion. And then, you broke Ringo from inside out, from what I heard. She was a friend of yours for a few years, right? I felt her pain… she thought she knew you after doing many things together." "When Ex was the keeper… … … What have I done, Yui? I think the weight of this is getting to me at last… ***sniff*** Oh God... what have I done?! ***sob*** I… I was selfish, never considering the other side of things… I grossed you out, lost my job because of it, and I became a heartless monster. I fucking killed Ringo's dad without stopping to think! Then, Dave and Ex completely hated my guts for all the right reasons. I betrayed those two nice people, besides Ringo… and you. Yui, tell Ex this… I'm sorry for everything I've done! ***continued sobbing*** I won't do any more of this crap, and I'm willing to have my sentence be carried out for how long the captain see fits. I... I-I just want my job back… My life feels incomplete without it." "Understood, I'll make sure to tell him that you cried, groveling and regretting everything." Yui gestured me to come close, and she placed her hand on my cheek. I was left alone for a duration after that.

**Yui's POV**

I walked off to go see my father after talking to Tee. I found him in the captain's quarters, sitting down. "Hey, Yui. What's got you smiling?" "Father, Tee regrets everything. The guilt got to him while we were talking. He says that he's willing to have his sentence carried out for how long you see fit." "R-really?! I didn't expect this at all, especially after he almost killed me and Dave. D-did he say anything else?" "He… wanted his duty back. And, I'm not opposed to that... Me being the assistant captain still sounds too daunting." "***sigh* **Very well, if that's what he wants… I'll… have him carry out a sentence for a month and a half. This is with limited food and water, so he'll be hungry and dehydrated. I'll go tell him this, myself. You can go now…" I left the captain's quarters to be with Ess, for some sisterly time. "Yui, your mood seems to be different. What happened?" "Oh Ess, Tee had his guilty feelings come into play. He's sorry for everything." "Is he really? I doubt that…" "Have you ever seen him crying?" "... Is that what it boiled down to? Did he actually cry out tears?" "Yeah. He was groveling during his apology. It was genuine, I could tell." "Well, that's a new precedent I didn't see coming… either way though, I still hate him." "I understand, Ess. Tee was an issue to all of us. He was actually gonna kill you after he would've dealt with Father and Dave. He had a personal vendetta for you, as it had seemed. But, I guess my words also made him second-guess that." "I suppose terrible former assistant captains can change… Ugh… I still think he's a dick." "Fair enough, my dear sister." I squeezed her tight in my arms. "H-hey! What's with the sudden affection, Yui?" "I wanted us to know each other more as sisters. Ess, what do you like to do?" "Me…? Uuuuum… … … I like to make myself… look pretty." "... That's little girl stuff… I'm not sure how to feel about that…" "Hey! I didn't have much in the way of friends during my childhood, give me a break!" "Alright… Maybe shift that hobby to that of making yourself look like a mature woman. You've got the features to do so." "Yeah… but there'll guys giving me those creepy looks… That idea just seems to be a pervert magnet." "That's why we're sisters, we can protect each other from those kind of guys." "***sigh* **Okay, what could you suggest for me to look… sexier?" "Well, I'm not too sure, I've only gotten into this recently. But, there is a guy I know that could help in being a major player." "Who is he?" "Oshare Bones, he runs a clothing store in Primp." "Hey, isn't that the town where the clueless girl lives?" "Uh, who?" "Uuuuum… Amitie! Yes, Amitie… that's her name." "Yeah, she lives there... why do you ask?" "Yui, I just hope that this _"Bones"_ fellow isn't like her. That just seems to be how the majority of the people there are… a bunch of weird-jobs and crazy lunatics." "I can't make any promises, but I think he's down-to-earth enough." "Anyway, I'll need to get myself money before I can go through with purchasing beautiful clothes… and that requires a job that pays. Not convenient in the slightest…" The rest of the night came and went, just like that. Me and and Ess slept snugly together.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Tee was at last, stopped by Dave and Ex after Ringo had passed out from the battle. He was sent to a cell to be confined for his actions. At first, he did not feel any guilt for the things that were done by his hand… but, like all most people, his heart changed. Yui brought him to that realization, as it came flooding into his mind. He broke down and apologized extensively for the misdeeds to her. Yui proceeded to leave Tee and tell Ex about the change in the former assistant captain. He's naturally shocked with this revelation playing out, considering what Tee said to him and Dave prior. Ex therefore makes up a sentence for him and leaves the situation like that. What will happen now that Tee's back on the right path? Will he actually take his life to a new and positive direction? How will this new series of events unfold? Next chapter, Chapter 35: Getting Technical.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: Getting ****Technical**

**Dave's POV**

The dawn of a new day shone for me and Ringo. We went about our day at school with Risukuma, Feli, and Lemres. Hoping that I would get a mental break for once… it actually happened. The workload was significantly less today. Hell, in one of the classes before lunch, an intriguing documentary ran its course. After getting over to Primp Magic, potions and Accord's class were nothing too much either. I was being trained by Ex again, much like the first time. "It's exhilarating that we are both so strong, Ex." "Yeah, it's fun! … But, it looks like time is almost up, Dave." "Shit, already? Time flies by too fast…" "It sure does, my friend." The school day had ended at that point. Me and Ringo began going home, and that when she got a text. "Hm? What's this?" She wondered and read. "Ringo?" I looked over. "... It's from Ris, Dave. He says that he wants us at his place with Feli and Lemres… I'll go get those two." She ran off for me to be alone, then came back a couple of minutes later with them. "Why does he want us to come with you, Ringo?" Feli questioned. "I dunno..." Ringo shrugged. "Well, I'm not totally friends with him yet, considering the whole ant nonsense from a while back. Whenever me and him are together, many bad possibilities stir up." Feli recalled. They all came to me in slight discomfort. "I'm… sure that things here won't be as bad as that one time, Feli." Lemres told her. "Whatever…" Feli rolled her eyes. "Let's go already... before Ris gets antsy in waiting for us." I said. We went through a portal that Lemres created and we popped in Suzuran. Walking to Risukuma's house, we knocked on the door. "Oh! You guys are here? I'll open the door!" He threw out his voice. "Jesus! He didn't have to holler it out…" I lowered my head. The door opened, but the bear was not on the other side of it. "Okay… where are you, Ris?" Ringo called. "Ringo, up above you!" He continued. "Alright! We hear you, don't yell like that anymore, bear." Feli demanded. "Oh, sorry." He stopped. Scaling the staircase was challenging, considering its steepness. "How does this bear go up these dang stairs every day?" Lemres sighed. "I'm not sure, Lemres. I've never seen a flight of stairs like this before." I commented. We made it to the top and saw the technicals. "Ris, what's all this?" Ringo asked him. "Well Ringo... this would make more sense if I tell Dave. ... Do you remember when I wished to expand my scientific horizon?" I thought about it for a little bit, then remembered. "Oh yeah, you did say something along those lines… Well, what about it, Ris?" "I thought about the interests that Maguro had when he was around, concerning games. I could tell that he loved them for how much they meant to him. Then, it hit me. What if I design my first video game? And, how interesting would it be if I do so? So, I learned as much as I could with the basics of coding. Then, I built an engine for my game to be structured from. Finally, I performed calculations for the game's code, making sure that it worked as it should." "Hm… this should be something, Risukuma… what is this game, then?" "Well Dave, I haven't given it a title, not even a test name. But, it's one of those kinds that Maguro would call… an RPG." "Oh, that's cool. I'm usually a sucker for those. So, how do you play it?" "You have to send your mind there first." I stood there in confusion after he said that bit. The others were just as clueless as I was. We didn't know what he meant by that. "Uh Ris, what do you mean by that?" Ringo looked at him. "See, you don't use typical controls for this game. This machine goes in tandem with the game's functionality. It's set for four players to lay down in these pods. Fully committing to these will insert your consciousness into the game. You'll be able to eject yourselves out of it if you can find a save point. Just save by selecting the _"save and return to the title screen" _option. There is one catch, though… Since I never had thought up of a name for this game, I don't have a title screen." I was shocked that he hadn't done it yet. Back in my world, when people make games… the title screen is like the first thing you do. "Well… could ya give like a… synopsis of the game's plot? You know, without givin' us major spoilers? It could present an idea for the title." Lemres requested. "Huh… that's a good idea, Lemres! Bear, please do so." Feli perked up. "Alright. ***throat clear* **Four teenagers journey into a different world, outside of their own will. They must find out what sent them there... and obtain a way to return home. In the midst of an ambush created by monsters, the four receive unique and potent magical powers. With this in mind, they decided it would be best to utilize them to seek the path they are searching for." He spoke of.

We had thought about the name for a while. "How about… _"Isekai Prison"_?" Ringo proposed. I heard her, and I figured that I was going crazy. _Did she just say "isekai"? That's impossible. The word's part of the Japanese language, from my world. How does she know it? And more importantly, why? _"Eeee-seh... what now?" Feli tilted her head to the left. "Ringo… do you know Japanese?" I asked her. " What?! You know Japanese too, Dave? What the hell?" "So wait, in your world… there's still Japan… Tell me, have you ever heard of two continents known as the Americas?" "N-no… Are they in your world?" "Yeah. They're separated as North and South America. The former is where I had lived before I was sent against my will to Suzuran. I guess America and this city are like mirror images in a way. That's probably how I first ended up here." "Dave, did you ever try to go back to your world through a portal?" "I thought about it way back when… but I figured that something would've just thrown me back here anyhow. Besides, I didn't like life there, Ringo. But… I do miss my parents dearly. So- Tell me why you know Japanese words." "I'm half-Japanese, man." "What?! But you don't look Japanese, nor did either of your parents!" "My dad was Japanese, Dave. My mother met him years ago in Japan, before me and my sister were born. They got married and… out came us. We lived there for the first few years of our lives. This was also how I met Maguro for the first time… he was pure Japanese compared to me. My parents took us to this city after Mom told Dad of its wonderful things. Then, it just so happened to be that me and Maguro both met up again during junior high in Suzuran. It was fate that tied us together then." She went on. _So it's like that… There's a Japan, like the one in my world, and Ringo's half-Japanese. This means she should know at least some of its customs…_ I figured. "I am unfamiliar to this thing you call _"Japanese"_, Ringo. What is it?" Feli wondered. "It's a language, Feli. The word that I used for the game's title, isekai, rougly means _"different world"_ in English." "***sigh* **This is so confusing…" "Don't worry, girl. I might explain it to you in better detail some other time." "Might? Ringo, that's not helping things." Lemres butted in to stop the bickering. "Yeeeeeah, more on that later… For now though, let's jus' decide if the name _"Isekai Prison" _is a good one for the game. All listeners in favor, raise yer hand." He insisted. I rose up my hand, as did he. Feli raised hers as well, so it was a majority already. "Then it's been decided. I'll get to work on the title screen… You guys can come back tomorrow, when I have the entire game mostly finished." Risukuma announced. "That was… anticlimactic..." I trailed. We left the bear's house and went on our separate paths. "Dave, you know why my name is Ringo?" "Umm… well, your hair has that kind of red apple coloration to it… does that have to do with it?" "Close. Ringo is Japanese for apple, surely you must know that…" "Oh yeah, I forgot that it was. So, hold on… you have the last name of your mother's family… why is that?" "Oh, she wanted her last name to be carried on. It's all for the sake of the Ando family." "What was your dad's last name?" "I dunno, Mom never told me. Speaking of last names… I don't think I've ever heard or seen yours." "That's because… I don't have one…" "What? Are you joking? You HAVE to have one, you had parents after all." "It's… something that you wouldn't get why, Ringo… forget about it." "So, how much Japanese do you know?" "To tell you the truth… not much. I can say a few words… and that's about it. I can't read Hiragana, Katakana, or Kanji at all." "Alright… I can understand you not being able to read Kanji, Dave. Even those who understand the language only know the basic ones. As for me, it's been a while since I've seen the characters, so I might have forgotten some. Don't misunderstand though, I can still sure as hell speak it. … Deibu, kore ni kanshin shite imasu ka?" "Is… that how you say my name in Japanese? Deibu...?" "Yeah. Since I have a last name, I would be referred to by regular people as Ando Ringo. The vowel sounds always remain the same in Japanese, unlike English. A is _"ah"_, e is _"eh"_, i is _"ee"_, o is _"oh"_, and u is _"oo"_. Your name screws with that a little from the combination of e and i, since it's English." "I know THAT. I'm not new to the characteristics, you know." "You're right, I should've guessed it as much. But man, Mom will be surprised that you know of Japanese." "Yeah… I wonder how this will unfold." We came back home in a flash. Ms. Ando felt a little better, compared to the past two days.

At the dinner table, Ringo mentioned to her about my awareness of Japanese. "Really? ***chuckle* **That's quite something, Japan also existing in your world… I wonder how much of it is the same. Speaking of your world, Dave… don't you miss your own parents?" "Why, of course I miss them, Ms. Ando. Back there however… I had lived a life of solitude, shutting myself up in my room. My life stood around as an unhappy one… It was one that didn't feel like it served a clear purpose. For a while... I had depression because of this, much like yours from your husband turning up dead. The only saving grace I kept during that time... was the ability to chat with others online through via text messages. I didn't speak often, only doing so when my voice was needed. My sanity was on the brink of shattering… and that's when a portal changed everything. It whooshed me to a patch of grass outside of this city. And there… was when I met Ringo for the first time. Kinda weird how it took this long for you to be told this. ***awkward laugh***" "So that's the backstory of my precious Dave…" "Please, don't say it like that… you're not my mother, Ms. Ando." I blushed in embarrassment. "Mom, Dave can't read Japanese at all." "Is that so, Ringo? What words does he know by meaning?" "As far as I know, it's just one word, isekai." "Ah, I see… Dave, are there any others?" I thought about some Japanese words that I knew, but couldn't read. "Kon'nichiwa... nani... daijōbu... hai... and… arigatō, I guess the very basic ones…" I covered. "Don't forget ringo, Dave. Japanese for apple." Ringo reminded me. "Oh, right… forgot about that one already." I facepalmed. "***chuckle* **Your forgetfulness is comically comparable to that of an amnesiac." Ms. Ando admitted. "Why are you saying it as though it was made to poke fun at me?" I rested my forehead on the table's surface. "Aw relax, Dave. She didn't mean to make it sound insulting… Mom likes to point out silly things such as that. It's harmless, coming from her of all people." Ringo said to me. "That's right, my girl. Dave, I only want you to feel right at home. You know… having a guardian that cares about your mental health is good. I need you to feel positive. Sure, I'm one to talk here, considering that I still haven't fully recovered... My mental scar runs deep, but that doesn't mean I can't try to find ways to feel better. The point is: Be satisfied with who you're living with, child. You love my daughter, do you not?" "Well yeah, I do… but it's because of everything happening around us that caused this relationship to be… rocky. Too much goes on in these days, it's almost impossible to keep track of all that occurs. We dealt with a vampire lord from a world where some of our friends were from… midterms came up, and… then, the whole incident with Tee. Lastly, there's this thing that you probably don't know, Ms. Ando. As it would seem, that vampire was just a pawn. A bigger threat is coming to destroy the world. None of us know what this is, but we'll all be killed if they unleash untold powers." "Destroy the world…?" "Yes… I need to train my body all I can for the day these beings come. Ringo will fight alongside me when that day comes. She's not helpless anymore, but still needs support from the rest of us." "What does she do?" Ringo interrupted our exchange of words. "Mom, this is what I do." She fired off small sparks of electricity to show her. "I manifest lightning and control it as my own. I've had this for a little over a month… Sorry for keeping it a secret, Mom." She said. "It's okay, my girl. After all, I already knew Dave had those demonic features when he revealed them to me. So, I figured that it was only a matter of time before you had something too. Dave, as you were saying with training your body… are you sure it can handle that level of force?" I thought about my next set of words before speaking. "Well… I'm not as scrawny as I was… like two months ago. Since my muscles started of so small though… this is as big as I could make them in the timeframe. But, I can say this with certainty… it'll not be something to concern yourself with, Ms. Ando." "If you say so, kid… suit yourself." "W-what is that supposed to mean, _"suit yourself"_?" "Oh, nothing."

The night was snuffed out like a flame and I had woken up for the next morning. School was standard at this point, not much to summarize. After Accord's class, me and Ringo met back up with Feli and Lemres. "Yo, Dave." "Yo, Lemres. You ready for this?" "Oh, you know I am." Feli was looking uneasy when we were talking. "Feli? What's up?" I wondered. "Dave… I'm… not sure if I should play that game with you guys… I'd rather watch." She told us. We paused in silence for a bit before Lemres speaks. "But, Feli… we need all four o' us to do-" Just when he was about to finish his sentence, another voice came by. "To do what?" We heard it and looked about for the source. "Who's there?" Ringo called out. "Wait… are you…? Sig?" I guessed. "That would be me…" He came out for us to see. "Sig? What are you doin' here?" Lemres asked. "I came by to see how Amitie was doing, but then I caught you guys talking about something. What is it about?" He said. "Dude, it's about a game of sorts. We'll be playin' it at Risukuma's house in Suzuran. But… Feli here is not so willin' to play with us… she'd rather watch instead." "What kind of game is it, Lemres?" "The bear said it was… what was it? … … Ah! An RPG, that's what it was, Sig." "I play RPG's occasionally… I'm interested to see what this game has to offer. Do you have room for me?" "With Feli not wantin' to play… Yeah, there is, Sig." "Cool. I'll come along." The five of us then came to Suzuran, so that we could see Risukuma. Lemres and Sig kept talking to each other as we traveled. "Jeez, the last time I've seen ya was when Dave got infected with that Puyo Fever junk." "Yeah, you guys asked me where to find two things needed for a cure. So, how is he?" "Oh, him? He's been healthy since then… By the way, he's gotten hella strong. He transformed into a dragon for the first time when we fought a vampire lord. Although… he wasn't in control for that, so he rampaged about until we finally stopped him." "Um... A dragon…?" "It's a long story, Sig, my dude. You sure ya want to go through it all? You may not hear the end o' it." "Can you please give me the short version, so that we're not wasting our time?" "Short stuff, comin' up… Dave, you tell 'em." He turned his head to face me. "Uh… sure." I told Sig about what Ecolo's energy did to me, which caused the mindless destruction to ensue. "How about now? Can you control it, Dave?" "Well, Sig… I can, but it drains my energy like a badly designed, old-school portable game system. Some of those were a thing in my world, so I'm making a comparison between them… and that." "How bad are we talking?" "Like three to four hours of game time with six AA batteries for one I know of, but even less than that." "Damn… whatever that system is, it eats the shit out of batteries. Wouldn't want one if it has that stipulation…"

We came to the bear's house, where he waited for us. "Uh, why is Sig with you guys?" He asked us. "Ris, Feli wasn't in the mood to play. She would rather watch us… and so, Sig is our replacement fourth player." I explained. "Okay... Sig, here's the lowdown." Risukuma told Sig about the whole _"Inserting your mind into the game" _thing. "Now, are you absolutely sure that this is safe, Ris?" Ringo came up to him. "I'm… almost certain, Ringo. I've done extensive calculating on my end, so there shouldn't be any fundamental issues." He told her. "So, you ready now?" Lemres asked. "Yes. Dave, Ringo, Lemres, and Sig… enter into these four pods that you see here, close the lid, and lay down. A helmet will be placed on each of your heads, thus creating the connection for here and the game. Some small suction cups are inside the helmets. These will emit a tiny, but effective anesthetic-like pulse into your brains. After you fall asleep, I will send your minds into the game. This will prompt the title screen to transition over to a new game if it picks up a fresh group of people. You'll eventually wake up in the game, to where the plot will pick up from there. Remember, to get out of the game, you'll need to find a save point, then select _"save and return to the title screen"_. Now, any questions concerning this?" The bear finished. "I do have one concern, just as a uh… hypothetical _"what-if" _scenario, Ris. What would happen if the power goes out while we are inside the game?" I wondered. "Well… your minds might be lost to the data of the game… and the bodies you leave behind will end up as a bunch of rotting flesh. But don't worry, that scenario is extremely unlikely to happen. My place runs on its own power source. I regulate it by checking on it once a week." He claimed. "If you say so… it should be safe then, I guess." I shrugged. "Then it's time to get it on with this, we don't wanna be here forever, right?" Lemres gestured. "Guess so." Sig agreed. "Don't have things screwed up for us, Ris… please." Ringo pleaded. "Ringo, as your best friend… I won't let you down. I'll be completely sure to keep things under control." He promised. We came into our own pods, where we readied for the transition into the RPG we were presented. "With that… it's time to fire up the system." Risukuma stated. He pressed buttons to bring in the helmets. "Charging up the pulses for a discharge… Counting up three, I will flip this switch, and the pulses will flow. … One. … Two. … Three!" After he got to three, Risukuma flipped the switch and my mind went blank.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends saw that Risukuma had created an RPG game from scratch. However, the name of it had yet to be made. Ringo suggested Isekai Prison as the name. This floored Dave, for he knew that isekai was a Japanese word. The two go through talking about it, with Feli and Lemres becoming lost in thought. As Dave and Ringo go and return home, our guy tells about what he does know about the language. On the next day, Sig appeared and learned of the game Risukuma had made. Feli, meanwhile… was not entirely comfortable playing with Dave, Ringo, and Lemres. With room to spare, Sig wanted to be in the game as well. Our group of four entered into their pods, waiting for the bear to release the pulses. He does and their bodies became still. Next chapter, Chapter 36: Play or be Played.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: Play ****or be Played**

**Feli's POV**

I witnessed their bodies becoming lifeless before my eyes. Then, the computer screen flickered to a plot summary that began to scroll automatically. It was basically what the bear told us yesterday. The text faded and the game showed these things called _"models"_. They were depictions of Dave, Ringo, Lemres, and Sig, all laying down on the ground. Everything had that 3D look to it… my friends, the trees, and the flowers.

**Me: **"***gasp*** It's them! … Uh, why aren't they moving?"

**Risukuma: **"Just wait, they get up soon."

We waited for them to wake up in that digital world. It looked like they had been bonked on the head from the way that they rested. I didn't want to look at them, but I was too hopeful to keep my eyes away.

**Dave: **"Ooooough… That pulse really did put a number on me… … H-hey, is everyone alright?"

This text box for Dave appeared, but it did not change. I was wondering why it wasn't going automatically.

**Risukuma:** "Press X on the keyboard to advance."

**Me: **"Y-you mean this one?"

I pressed it and the text advanced over to someone else.

**Ringo:** "I'm fine, but it seems like we can't continue talking to each other on our own."

At this point, I made a habit of pressing the X button after I was done reading my friends' words and them speaking those very lines out loud.

**Lemres: **"So then, someone's controllin' us and our flow of speech, right?"

**Sig: **"Definitely not the impression that I got…"

**Dave: **"Yeah, I thought that we would be the ones controlling ourselves in this, based on what Ris said. So then, who's controlling us right now?"

Risukuma looks at me, concerned.

**Risukuma: **"I might have informed them incorrectly…"

**Me: **"Misinformed? More like you misled us! What the hell, bear?"

**Risukuma: **"L-look… I merely forgot that the ones in the game need to be controlled by a person in the real world. ***sigh* **I was probably tired when I had forgotten that."

**Me: **"And look what it caused! Now one of us has to play the game to get them over to a save point. I'm going to fucking punish you when this is all over! So, since you made it, why don't you play it?"

**Risukuma: **"No can do, Feli. Besides what I programmed in, I know nothing about playing games competently, let alone, an RPG. There's a difference between being good at programming the game… and actually playing good. I'm hoping that you could do so, despite what you said before. If you want our friends out of this… you'll have to play it."

**Me:** "B-but-! I have little experience with this. How do you expect me to do it?!"

**Risukuma: **"Better off than me… I have NO experience with this."

**Me: **"Then how did you make this in the first place, bear?!"

**Risukuma: **"I will admit it… I uh… had help. I wasn't the only one working on this. If you are wondering who… it's this individual right here. His name is Ai, a close companion of mine. He was willing to assist me after the things that I've done for him in the past. Ai wasn't the biggest expert on this, but he did seem to have the necessary knowledge. I was curious about him knowing it, so I asked him how he got it. He told me this, RPGs were a pastime of the boss that he works for. Apparently, he got him to share some know-how involving standards and expectations, which allowed him to create the base for this game. He made up the mechanics of the gameplay, while I coded everything else. And no, we can't just call him in for this. He's way too busy with his job right now for that. Same with his boss. You're our best shot for now, Feli. Besides, you have Dave and the others. At least two of them should know what to do after they go through tutorials. They will ease you into things if the game fails to. Now, continue."

I groaned, then continued going through the text and voices of my friends.

**Ringo: **"Finally, the person bothered to press the damn button for me to chime in… The one controlling us has to be either Ris… or Feli."

**Dave:** "I would assume so, they should be the only two conscious people left in there… Anyway, this must be the game's world…"

**Sig: **"We could be in trouble with roaming around if it's Feli. She might mess up a lot for us."

**Lemres:** "That ain't entirely true... We can still say anythin' we want. Jus' tell 'em what to do and things should be fine."

**Sig: **"Lemres, we have no idea how this game plays. We need some kind of event to trigger that will cause a tutorial to appear."

**Dave:** "That's right, we'll need to get attacked. Isn't that what Ris said from the synopsis he gave out?"

**Ringo:** "Yeah… but how? All I see is us around here…"

**?: **"***terrifying screech***"

**Lemres:** "! What in the fuck was that sound?"

**Sig:** "Look."

Sig pointed to the source of that noise, a huge primal insect. Its mandibles were disgusting to stare at. It seemed to be an ancient version of a praying mantis with wings. Along with it, there were others about the size of my friends.

**Ringo: **"Yuuuck! I've never seen bugs with that level of grossness before!"

**Dave: **"Ringo, I think we should be much more concerned with the fact that these things could bite off our heads! Ruuuuun!"

**Sig: **"But, come on… they're cool looking bugs…"

**Dave: **"Dammit Sig, this is no time to be infatuated with those things! Get over here!"

Dave held Sig's hand firmly with his own. A scene played out where all four ran as fast as their legs could. However, another group of those things appeared in front of them. They soon became trapped and couldn't get away.

**Lemres:** "Damn, they've got us surrounded…"

**Sig:** "What can we do...? Those mantis' jaws seem powerful enough to bite us down to blood and guts."

A different text box showed up, displaying information.

**Game: **_"Mash action keys as they appear to manifest these teens' powers. If you mash the wrong key, the time limit will be shortened. When the timer reaches zero, all party members will die, causing a game over. When you are ready to proceed, press X on the keyboard to start."_

**Me:** "Bear, if everyone dies in there… will they be dead in real life? I need to know, this is crucial."

**Risukuma:** As far as I know… only this part can cause that. This is because we haven't had a chance to save the game yet. If you save before getting a game over, the four party members will just be ejected from the game. As long as there is a save file in the game to load from, there's no risk of our friends dying in real life. But still, you have to make this count, Feli."

**Me: **"I know, I don't wanna lose Dave and Ringo! And, you know… Lemres can't be lost forever because of this. I'll try my hardest."

I breathed calmly to prepare myself for what I was going to do. The possible action keys to press were Z, X, C, and V. I positioned my fingers accordingly, all so that I could get the most out of mashing those buttons. I pressed X to begin the key mashing. It was quite stressful at first, but I fared well, despite going through a rough start. The whole thing went on for about a full minute as my friends all dodged strikes from the mantises.

**Me:** "Almost got it…! … Phew... that was a close call..."

Another scene played where Dave and the others glowed with a light. I will admit it, I was excited to see this unfold.

**Dave: **"Hey…! This must be it guys! And, would you look at that? I have this weaker dragon armor now. It's not like my current power level in the real world, but it's certainly better than nothing."

**Lemres:** "And here's my cane for castin' the sweet magic I have. Time to kick some suh-weet aaaass!"

**Ringo: **"My lightning is here and accounted for too. Sig, what about you?"

**Sig: **"Uh… … I feel funny… and not in a good way either. Some of these aren't my normal powers… What the hell is this?"

**Dave: **"I'm sorry to ask a question at a time like this… but, what are your usual powers, Sig?"

**Sig:** "Colorful attacks that are named after minerals and stuff like that."

**Dave:** "That… tells me nothing. Tch. Whatever… Can you at least fight?"

**Sig: **"Maybe…?"

**Lemres: **"Ya don't know?!"

**Me: **Great… ***sigh* **That's what we get for inviting Sig to this… he can be clueless about some shit."

**Risukuma: **"Blame yourself, you didn't feel comfortable about playing this."

**Me: **"Sh-shut up! That was before you told me that you didn't clarify things properly, you dumb bear!"

**Risukuma:** "..."

I almost just about had it with the bear and his crap, but I trudged on with the game.

**Ringo:** "Careful, here they come!"

The screen flashed white and my friends stood closely together. A box appeared, showing this thing known as SP. It explained that if I have enough SP for somebody, I can do one of their specials. This very box also showed me the movement and camera controls for the party leader. Dave was set to that position by default.

**Me: **"Hey… isn't this an action RPG?"

**Risukuma: **"That's what I have heard from Ai…"

**Me: **"***sigh*** I was hoping for this to at least be turn-based. I have played one of those in the past… … Hm? What's this UG thing? Oh well, I'm sure the game will explain that to me in due time. Uh… let's see…"

**Game: **_"You can change party leaders within the thick of battle. To do this, scroll with the mouse wheel up or down (This will only last for the battle's duration). Right now, your overworld party leader is Dave. Non-leader party members will move around and do appropriate actions on their own. To change the overworld party leader, go into the pause screen while out of battle. Going into a new battle after doing that will allow you to use the character you prepared as party leader from the start. Depending on who you are controlling, they will obtain special perks that they would otherwise not have. One common perk is that the party leader will slowly recover a percentage of their SP over time. The party leader is also able to use their ultimate attack(s), but more on that later. Some specials cost HP, rather than SP. These are typically more powerful than SP specials, but come at a risk. Be conscientious of your health when using these. Attacks and the like are separated into three categories. These categories are of the following: Physical, Magic, and Status. Attacks that deal physical damage are dependent on the user's physical attack stat. This is the case for magic attacks and the user's magical attack stat as well. Status branches off to quite a few different effects: Heal, regeneration, status ailments, buffs, and debuffs. Utilize everyone's strengths and cover their weaknesses to ensure smooth fighting. With that being said: Test your newfound powers out on these primal insects."_

All of that text was more of a wall to me, but at least it explained a lot to me. When I was ready, I pressed X.

**Me: **"Alright, let's do this shit…"

**Dave: **"We must survive, no matter what!"

**Me: **"Time to hone your claw, Dave…"

**Dave:** "Claw of Shadows! Rah! Want more?!"

**Lemres: **"Time to sweeten things up… Candy Blast!"

**Ringo: **"I'll do my best for Dave! Lightning Strike!"

**Sig: **"Uh… I don't know what these powers are, but I need them. Go…"

I used them to kill all the insects, except for the big one. It came by, flying and screeching loudly.

**Dave: **"This one must be the boss, guys. It won't be easy to take down, be on your guard!"

**Game:** _"Dave has learned the special: Armor Evolution. You can spend twenty percent of Dave's SP to temporarily upgrade his armor. All of his base stats (except HP) will be higher until either the battle is over, or he loses all of his HP (this is NOT considered to be a buff). Reviving Dave with items will not set back up Armor Evolution. You'll have to use this special again if it comes down to that. Armor Evolution is required for Dave to use his ultimate attack(s). In turn, his ultimate attack(s) do the most damage out of any party member's."_

A new fight emerges with the insect leader. An introductory animation and name display kick in. This behemoth was called _"Reaping Mantisis"_ by the game. Another of the game's prompts showed itself soon after.

**Ringo:** "This enemy seems to be extremely powerful…"

**Game: **_"Ringo has an ability that allows her to sense how strong an enemy's offenses are. By calculating numbers in her head, she can make an estimate for a newly encountered creature. Remember that you will not see the numbers it actually has in the stats. The enemy might be slightly stronger or weaker than what Ringo punches in. This ability also reveals one possible weakness that the enemy carries. In this case, that Reaping Mantisis is weak to one element."_

**Ringo: **"This bug-brain can't stand fire attacks, guys."

**Me: **"Uh… last time I checked, we don't have fire things to use. Shit, what can they do here?"

**Dave: **"***sigh* **Great… we don't have fire. There's ice, dark, electricity, and light… but I don't know how well any of those will work."

**Lemres: **"Dave, what about my magic? It doesn't seem to fall into any o' these elements."

**Dave: **"Well, we won't know unless we try it… go ahead, then."

**Lemres: **"Aight. Here it comes… Gum Wad!"

**Reaping Mantisis: **"***screech***"

**Sig: **"Hey, it looks like its wings are stuck…"

**Dave: **"It's not glued to the ground, but that titan might be slow without its wings."

**Ringo: **"Quick, now's our chance to attack it!"

I saw the enemy before us labeled with the debuff, _"Speed Down"_. I got my fingers on the keyboard, ready to beat down on that oversized bug with my friends. Then, I sequenced attacks into a suitable combo.

**Ringo: **"Bolt Arrow!"

**Sig: **"Uh… Citrine."

**Lemres: **"Cream Pies!"

**Dave:** "Here I go... Armor Evolution! Transformation is a success!"

**Game: **_"Dave now has been given a free use of his UG. UG Stands for "Ultimate Gauge". When this bar is fully filled up, the character with it will be able to use their ultimate attack while you have them as the party's leader. In every battle after this one, you'll have to fill the UG up by performing combos. The longer and flashier the combo is, the more filled the UG becomes. Once you use the ultimate attack, the bar will reset to be empty."_

**Dave: **"Good… let's try this out. Rrrrrrrrr! Ultimate attack, Spiraling Drake!"

Dave and his big armor began to spiral like a drill. He launched himself directly at the reaping mantisis, with an incredible velocity. The whole thing was cinematic and cool to lay eyes upon. I was practically head over heels for him performing this maneuver. He collided with the creature, causing a shockwave to envelop the battlefield.

**Reaping Mantisis: **"***dragged out screech***"

The thing fell over and died soon after the attack finished with a huge amount of damage. A victory screen popped up, showing the gained experience for defeating every one of those guys. Everyone leveled up four times from this.

**Dave: **"More power ensures that we'll be safer..."

**Ringo:** "Yay! I'm stronger!"

**Lemres:** "Heh, now that's what I'm talkin' about!"

**Sig: **"Huh…? Am I improving?"

**Me: **"Nice, it looks like everyone is now at level 7. What's gonna happen now?"

I pressed X to further things along. I was wanting us to get to a save point, so I could get those four out of there.

**Dave:** "Now then… we should find one of those spots, it'll help us out."

**Lemres, Ringo, and Sig: **"Yeah."

I was in control of Dave again for the overworld. A minimap was shown at the top-right corner of the screen. Seeing a pathway up ahead, I moved Dave over to it. Enemies were blocking the rear part and text popped up.

**Game: **_"You can first-strike enemies by either hitting them with the X key, or walk up to them from behind. Be careful though, enemies can do this to you too if they spot you. If there's a non-boss enemy that you don't want to fight and they chase you, run away long enough for it to give up. Typically, bigger enemies in an area are stronger and have bigger amounts of HP. Unless if you're confident (or insane), it's generally better to avoid them until you can dominate weaker troops."_

I first-struck all the enemies that stood in my way. My friends gained a whole level from that alone.

**Lemres: **"Hey, isn't that…?"

**Dave: **"! It is! A save point! Oh, thank God for that… ***sigh***"

**Ringo:** "Then let's not waste any more time here, let's get to it!"

I led Dave to the save point and pressed X. The game presented me with two options: _"Save and continue" or "Save and return to the title screen"_. I obviously chose the second one and the game stated that the save was successful. It booted me back to the title screen and the pods next to me opened. I let out a burst of joy and tears when Dave and the others woke up.

**Me: **"Ooooooh! I'm so glad you guys are back, safe and sound! ***sob***"

**Dave: **"Feli… why are you crying?"

**Risukuma:** "I should have told you guys this sooner… but I forgot."

**Ringo: **"Forgot what, Ris?"

**Risukuma: **"I… forgot that if you guys died in the game without reaching a save point to reload from… you would die for real."

**Dave: **"W-what?! Why the hell would you make it THAT realistic, Ris?! We could have all been killed for real without us ever knowing it!"

**Ringo: **"And, how could you forget such an important detail, man?"

**Risukuma: **"I'm sorry, really! Maybe this wasn't a good idea to begin with… I'll dismantle everything built around this and terminate the game."

**Me: **"And… this is why I gotta punish you so, bear… Get the fuck over here... ... HYYYYAAAAAAH!"

I smacked him around to kingdom come, teaching him to never do something like this ever again. Dave quivered as he watched me, then covered his eyes. Ringo had that kind of face, displaying _"Oh my God"_. Sig just gave out the same blank expression that he usually makes. Lemres turned his head a bit to avoid eye contact and whistled about.

**Sig: **"Damn… did you have to hit him that hard? He's bleeding now."

**Me:** "Hmph! That's what he gets… There was no way that he could get away with this, scot-free. I simply had to, bug boy."

**Sig: **"Uh… Earth to Feli… my name is Sig."

**Me: **"I don't care… Let's just go home… C'mon, Lemres."

**Lemres: **"Uh… comin'!"

Me, Lemres, and Sig left the bear's house to go back home in Primp Town for the night. As we traveled through a portal, I thought back to when Dave was shaking in fear. I knew that he wasn't the toughest guy I knew, emotionally speaking... but, I felt bad about him witnessing my angry side, becoming frightened. Not like I had a choice... I was too pissed at Risukuma to not go and smack him, after all. Lemres noticed my frowning and spoke.

**Lemres: **"You… alright, Feli? You seem to be conflicted with somethin'..."

**Me: **"I-I'm fine... it's nothing, Lemres."

**Lemres: **"If ya say so…"

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave, Ringo, Lemres, and Sig enter the game, unaware of the possible risk of dying for real. Feli yells at Risukuma, swearing that she will punish him when all of this is at an end. She guided her friends to go and defeat a huge flying mantis. Feli then moved the group over to a save point, where she got them all out safely. As Risukuma apologizes for the likely death scenario, Feli mercilessly beats the bear up, as punishment. She then leaves with Lemres and Sig, so they could return to Primp. Going through a portal, Feli thought back to the moment when Dave was terrified of her angry side. She felt bad about him seeing her like that. After going through a digital trip, what's next for Dave and his friends? Next chapter, Chapter 37: A Change of Lifestyle. **


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: A Change of Lifestyle**

**Dave's POV**

They left, leaving behind me, Ringo, and Risukuma to sit around. "I hope that she didn't hurt you too badly..." I approached the bear. "I'll be fine... I lived through that ant bite, so this shouldn't kill me. There, all better. Bandages can be a lifesaver for people. It's good that I keep a couple of rolls here." He told me. "It's getting late, Dave. We should be heading back… Take care, Ris." Ringo waved to him. I followed her outside, where it was chilly. "Brrgh… I guess the later part of Fall is finally starting to show itself." I commented. "Speaking of which… isn't Fall Break coming up, Dave?" "Is it? I dunno, I haven't seen a calendar since meeting you, Ringo." We shrugged and arrived home. "We're back, Mom." She chimed. "Welcome back, my lovebirds." Ms. Ando smiled. "***sigh* **I still find it to be embarrassing… Huh...? Ms. Ando, what's all this?" I wondered. My eyes saw a bunch of plane tickets laying on the counter. "Oh-! I'm glad you noticed, Dave. These are travel tickets for Japan. I figured that since you know Japanese things, but not the language… it would be a great experience for you. Fall Break is next week, so we'll have plenty of time, since there's no school for you kids. And, you can see that there are more than three. I know that you'll want to bring your friends. That being said… this is a total of nine tickets." She flashed at us. "Woooooah! You must have spent a lot on those, Mom! How much did one cost by itself?" Ringo's eyes bulged. "Is the price really worth discussing when I was able to purchase NINE of them, my girl?" Ms. Ando chuckled. "I-I guess not…" Ringo stopped questioning. As I listened to that, my mind thought about Japan. _Huh… I guess it COULD be a beneficial experience. Besides, I'll be with my friends as well! That's IF they want to join though… I'm sure everything will be fine and dandy. I've never been to Japan before… it'll be interesting to basically live a different style of life for a week or so. If this Japan is like my world's... Akihabara will be an awesome place to stop by at. I haven't had any exposure to anime for the longest time! And, there'll be anime that differ than the ones from my world. I think my romantic/comedy backlog has increased significantly. There might be some good action shows for me to see too. But… who do I want to invite for this trip to Japan? I mean, of course… I want Feli and Draco to come but… who else? Lemres is cool, however… he might cause some issues with his mannerisms. On places like moving trains, it's not a good thing to speak. Ex could very well be busy with work in the Tetra. Maybe Sig…? Amitie? I guess. Raffina? I suppose? Lidelle? No, Lidelle would become quite afraid of all the things that fall under her definition of "unfamiliar". Then, who would fill the last slot? Klug is usually somewhat busy too. And, Ris is injured, so there's no point in taking him along… I'll have to think about this later. _

I brought myself back to reality, seeing that Ringo had her eyes fixed on me. "What?" I asked, starting up an exchange of word. "You were staring off into space, like that one time." "Oh… yeah, I was. I just thought of who we could invite. My mind isn't totally set on who though." "I've been thinking that a little too. I've been with Amitie quite a bit, ever since I joined you guys in Ms. Accord's class… but, I haven't done much with her, or Arle for that matter." "Oh yeah, there's Arle too… We could come across quite a bit of curry, so she will certainly be ecstatic." "Her mouth will be watering from the sensation. Dave, you did you want Feli and Draco to come too?" "Of course, Ringo. Why wouldn't I?" "Fair enough. What about Lemres?" "His behavior might cause us some… inconvenience. I was thinking of inviting Ex, but he's probably way too busy. I mean, he has to watch over Tee." "Sig?" "I dunno… I think he'll just be kind of indifferent to it." "It could be awkward for us if there isn't another guy." "I know… Ugh, this is difficult to set up for six friends." "... Tarutaru?" "... ! Hey, yeah! There's Tarutaru for us to bring and it'll be great for him. The last time that we went somewhere, the Puyo Isles, something came up for him to take care of at the last minute. This could be a good way to make it up to him." Ringo nods to me and we ate dinner for the night. Like always, Ms. Ando's cooking was quite superb. It got me thinking about how Japanese foods taste. At this point, I've never had anything remotely Asian before. The prominence of chopsticks worried me. I didn't know how they would feel as _"utensils"_. I had only held forks, spoons, and occasionally sporks up until now, so this could have been very different to me. I had a shower with Ringo and went off to bed for the evening. The rest of the remaining school week went by uneventfully. Me and Ringo told my other friends about this trip. Feli and Draco had no objections with it, as long as we would be together. Amitie happily accepted the invitation, being curious about Japan. Raffina unfortunately had to decline because of her family. Klug said no because he decided that he wanted to train on his own for the break. Sig only wanted to take care of the bugs around his place, so that was an indirect _"no"_. Tarutaru was elated and glad that I would be making things up to him.

Arle squealed at the mentioning of curry and pleaded to go. She asked Carbuncle if he would be okay with watching their house. Of course, he answered with an enthusiastic _"Gugu gu!"_. The little guy danced around with seemingly random motions throughout their living room. I had then faced this same predicament, there was one last slot to fill and I didn't know who could take it. Then, I relinquished my insistence on not bothering Ex. I called him and he picked up. "Dave?" "Yeah, it's me." "What is it?" "Well, considering that you have been such a good friend to me… I figured that maybe I could pay you back in kind." "Pay me back with what?" "Going by Suzuran and Primp's calendar… do you think you could come with me to somewhere for Fall Break? I mean, of course, if you have the ability to, that is... I understand if you have your hands tied at the moment, Tee must be giving you mental pain." "Oh, him? He apologized for everything that he's done to us." "R-really?! You mean it? He's changed?" "Yeah, for that… I lightened his time in the cell to one month. You should thank Yui, she's the one who got through to him. Anyway, I'll be happy to spend some time with you, Dave. I know my two daughters can look after the Tetra, now that Tee is in good conscience again. So… what is this place you mentioned, Dave?" "Well, here's the thing… it's a place in Ringo's world, but it also exists in mine." "What? How can this be?" "I'm not entirely sure, Ex… What I can say for sure is that Suzuran and my home world's location have some sort of connection. The first time I came to the city, it was from a portal that forcefully sent me from my home... to the outside of Suzuran's borders. And so, it may not just be my home and Suzuran serving as counterparts to each other… This place that I speak of is one that both worlds share. The location is called Japan; an island country surrounded by water all around. Over there, lies a huge population of people, for such a small land. A unique culture of both folklore and technological advances flourishes. The people use a language with three separate alphabets." "Three?" "Yes, three. Although… the third one isn't used as often as the other two, for good reasons. You might learn more about it when we come together for this. It won't just be the two of us, Ex. Seven others will join in for the fun." "Lemme guess, three of them are your lovers, correct?" "Indeed. Enough about that though, you'll need to get ready for tomorrow morning. That's when we'll all take a plane to Japan. Come to Suzuran where my residence is at, it's Ando Family Fresh Produce. Make sure to tell the crew of your absence." "I will, hopefully all of this trip will be fun, unlike the Puyo Isles." "Mhm. That murder scandal was not good for anybody. Let's hope that something like that does not happen. I'll be hanging up now." "Alright, see you." I hung up the call after he ended the conversation. "Hey, Ringo… I was able to get Ex to come." I met back up with her. "Oh, well that's awesome. I guess we'll wait for everyone to come early in the morning. Let's go home and prepare for it." She said. "Yeah." I nodded. We came back home and enjoyed the night of packing stuff up.

The early birds of the morning squawked away and we wasted no time. Everyone arrived, as scheduled, which made me happy. "Hey, Dave. Who's that fellow?" Ex wondered. "Oh, Tarutaru? You've seen him before right? He is with me in the class Ms. Accord teaches, Ex." "Huh… okay, I remember. I guess his appearance didn't seem so significant to me. That's probably why I don't recall him. Uh… how come he wasn't around when the trip to the Puyo Isles was a thing?" "I don't exactly know… All I know is that he had something come up at the last minute, so he didn't come with us. Anywho, Tarutaru's a swell guy. He may look like that he lacks a brain, but he's actually decently intellectual. As he looks would have you to believe, he's strong. Not as strong as me, but Tarutaru can still hold his own against weaker baddies and then some." "And who's the woman there?" "That's Ringo's mother, to which I refer to her as Ms. Ando. She takes care of both me and Ringo." "But, wouldn't that make you and Ringo siblings by law?" "No, Ex… I did not accept Ms. Ando as my mother, for two reasons. One: I already had a mother from my original home. Two: I personally wished for her not to raise me as a son by law. I just wanted to create a suitable environment where me and Ringo can live together and love each other. I didn't want this to turn into a case of technical incest." "Ah, got you. That would have made things needlessly awkward for you two." "Mhm." I nodded at the end. Ms. Ando walked up to Ex and examined him. "My, who might you be, mister?" "I'm uh… Ex, it's nice to meet you, Ms. Ando." "So you're Ex… I've heard about you from Dave and the like." "Oh… is that so? Um… so you're a single-parent too, I see. Sorry about your husband being killed." "It's… fine, really. You lost your wife?" "Yeah, something like that… Although, I don't know whether she's dead or not. She could still be kicking for all I know..." "Well, what kind of wife was she to you?" "She… was a very sweet individual. I had loved her with all my heart. Then… she was taken away from me by the vacuum of space, from a hole that was formed in the Starship Tetra." "How was this hole formed?" "It was created by an attack that we received from an unknown enemy. I tried holding on to her as best as I could, but in the end… she was still sucked into space. I haven't seen her since that day… and it pains me every time that I revisit this story. ***sigh***" Ex's mood was dampened, but I came in to remind him that we are going to have fun in Japan. He smiled, then all nine of us traveled to an airport with our things. "Arle, have you ever been on a plane before?" Amitie asked her. "Nope. Planes were just not a thing from my world, Amitie. I've heard that they take you reeeeal high in the air." "This is my first time too." Amitie giggled to Arle. I looked back at Draco, where she was taken aback by the plane. "A machine that flies for you…" She stared at it. "Impressive, huh?" I came to her. "Yeah, it sure is, Dave." She smiled. "It's not anything like the Tetra, but planes have their own charms." Ex commented. "Uh, Feli… can we talk alone for a bit, before the flight is ready for us?" I led her to an area to be by our lonesome. "Uh… what is it, Dave?" "Remember when our Potions instructor covered my mouth and talked to me alone? You were watching, right?" "Yeah… I remember her making that one motion with her fingers, like she was on to you. Was there something that you wanted to say to me from then?" "Yes, there was... and, I finally have the distance away from her to tell you this. Basically, uh… Witch was the one who helped me to be able to control my dragon form and make it complete." "Okay… why would she want to hide it from me and Lemres? We both saw you as a dragon and surely she must know that…" "No, that's not what she was hiding... it was what she did with me after that. I had gone through a purification process at Draco's place… but, because it was so painful and I screamed my head off from said pain, I passed out from post-shock. Now here's the sketchy bit, Feli: What she did after that, she became a bit… frisky. When I woke up, she was sitting on top of me and Draco was asleep… for some reason. That's when I learned of her getting frisky with my body. Witch became jealous of Draco having my love and did not like me rejecting hers." "So she's after you too…" "She's too old though… that's why I didn't accept her love. I don't know if she's still watching me through that one thing or not… but she WILL get my head if she finds out I told you." "I'll protect you if it comes down to that. It's my duty to… I'M one of your lovers, not her. I'll beat her up if I have to! Whatever it takes to make her stop seducing you... Now, how about we spend some quality time together~? There's no way that she can find us, especially if we arrive in Japan." "I suppose you're right, Feli. Let's go back!"

**Witch's POV**

_So… you think that you can just get away from me and reveal that to Feli without retribution, Dave? Well, I don't think so. I'm gonna come to you, regardless of an unfamiliar place to me. When I do… you're punishment is gonna be QUITE severe. And, Feli thinks that she can save him from me... Think again, girlie._ My mind cracked. I had cut off my way of watching Dave so I could free say things without him hearing me. "Time to hunt a naughty boy down…"

**Dave's POV**

We made our way back to the others, just when the plane was about ready too. "Oh, there you are, Dave... I was looking around for you. Where were you at?" Arle wondered. "I was talking with Feli about something… don't worry, it's not anything you should concern yourself with. So, did you need me for something, Arle?" "Well uh… how should I put it…? Amitie has gotten cold feet from anticipating this fly to Japan." "Cold feet? She's… scared of flying on this? Amitie was just fine when we arrived, what's the deal?" "Well, Ringo told her that we would be up thousands of feet in the air. And then, she remembered what I said earlier to her. I guess the predicted height was too much for her to bear. Amitie's over there, scared stiff." I saw the sorry state that Amitie was in. _Yep. She's definitely afraid of going up to that height. I'm not the biggest fan of heights either. I'll go to her. _"Hey, Amitie?" I crouched down to where she sat. "D-Dave…?" "Arle told me that you've become scared of this." "W-well- N-no duh… I didn't consider how high we would go up while on that plane." "Question, have you been through something like a plane flight before?" "I was in the Tetra when Tee was the captain…" "Okay… and were you scared of that?" "K-kind of…?" "***sigh* **Look, I'm not enthusiastic about going up to at least four-thousand feet in the air either. In fact, I have a phobia of extreme heights and I've NEVER been on a plane before. But, I'll still ride it because I want to see Japan with my own vision. I haven't been able to do so back in my world, where it also exists." "R-really?" "Yeah. Throughout my years, growing up as a teen… I had grown to like things that originated from Japan. For example, it was a juggernaut when it came to quality games. I'm sure you probably don't understand the significance of that, but it's something that became a positive influence for me. Hey, maybe you'll find something in Japan to positively affect yourself. C'mon, aren't you excited?" She looked up at me with a reinvigorated smile. "You're right, I should be excited above all else! Thanks, Dave. I don't even feel that scared now because my curiosity has returned!" "That's the spirit, Amitie." I smiled as well. We boarded the plane and took off for Japan.

"Hey, Ms. Ando… you never told us where we'll land in Japan. It didn't say on the tickets either. Where are we going to land at?" I wondered. "Oh, well… Japan has four international airports. All four of these are individually close to a big city. The first two of which are Narita, and the one we're landing at, Haneda. These ones are next to Tokyo, Japan's capital city. Kansai is near Osaka, and Chubu for Nagoya." She told me. "Uh, excuse me, Ms. Ando. If I may ask… what's the big deal about Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya in particular? Erm.. besides the fact that Tokyo is the capital…" Ex asked her. "Tokyo has so many places to sight-see, both modern creations and old relics. Osaka is very much known as a food paradise for the Japanese. And Nagoya… It's not as notable as the other two, but you know, it has historic importance in the eyes of the country's people. Nagoya is also Japan's fourth largest city." She told him. "A culture that embraces both old and new customs… very much unique I would say. As someone who has lived in advanced technology for quite some time, this will be different to me." Ex said. I looked back over to where Ringo and the other girls sat. "I dunno, this place's culture sounds like a hodge-podge mess to me." Draco remarked. "Draco, the place looks a lot more defined when you actually do see it. I grew up with my mom here, so I know." Ringo replied. "Uuuuh, how long are we going to be flying like this?" Amitie asked. "Oh, we'll be flying for several hours. Although… the timezone will be different to ours. We're behind by thirteen hours, so it should be about... 11 P.M. there right now." Ms. Ando explained. "Wow, I never knew that there was such a discrepancy with the time." My eyes widened for a second or two. "But wait… won't that really screw up our sleep schedule?" Feli figured. "It should, like over half a day ahead of us… that's crazy." Tarutaru was in disbelief. For the rest of the flight after that, we decided to rest. By the time we reached Japan, it was technically well into the early morning of the next day. "I didn't think there would be such a thing as oversleep, but lo and behold… my head feels so light." I said. "Yeah, well… we needed to get use to Japan's time. This was the only way that we would be able to adjust properly, Dave." Ex told me. "So, Mom… do you have an idea where we'll be staying for the duration of this trip?" Ringo asked. "My child, do you remember an area called Ikebukuro? That's where we lived before moving to Suzuran." "Ah- I do, Mom…! It was so long ago, but I remember playing with Maguro back then… like it was yesterday." "And, remember when you were fawning over magical girl anime? You would be so charmingly funny, just acting out as heroines from those. ***chuckle***" "M-MOM-!" Ringo was instantly embarrassed by that remark. "W-what? You used to watch anime, Ringo?" I turned to face her. "Um… you know about anime too?" She turned to me. "H-hell yeah! Watching them was one of my pastimes back in my world! I love anime." I was so happy, knowing for sure that anime existed in this world's Japan. "Are those… TV shows, Dave?" Ex made a guess. "Not in the traditional sense, Ex. Anime doesn't just consist of shows, they can also be movies. Anime is literally shortened from the words animate or animation. Hence, these are always animated in someway… and that's what gives them that status. Most are animated in 2D, but I have seen a few with 3D animation. Safe to say... anime wasn't originally made for 3D and it looks jarring, no matter how long you view it for." I answered. "Oh, I see." He to be seemed satisfied with my answer. "***sigh*** Can we PLEASE just get to where we are going to stay at? I don't wanna keep standing here all day in embarrassment." Ringo pleaded as she continued to blush. "Very well, my girl." Her mother complied. We walked for a while in the streets of Tokyo until Ikebukuro was found. Ringo's eyes glittered and brightened with awe. I could see why, this was her neighborhood before moving to Suzuran. "Ikebukuro…! I recall it all! There's the spot that cosplayers and idols hang out at. The old fish place that Maguro's family used to run is still standing too." _Old… fish place? Nevermind… So, this is Ikebukuro… _My mind wandered. "Dave?" Tarutaru came up and shook me. "... H-huh…?" "Dave, you're falling behind." "O-oh! Thank you for telling me, Tarutaru. Jesus, that lot can get far quickly." Me and Tarutaru caught up with the group at this hotel. "Here we are, everyone." Ms. Ando presented us. Taking one peek at the building revealed one fact. This hotel was half semi-luxurious and half lower-end. Several parts of it seemed rather promising, while others… not so much. "What the heck is with this inconsistent infrastructure?" I scratched my head. "This does look jarring…" Ex agreed. "As long as it's not a dump, why should we care about the infrastructure?" Ringo made a point. "Guess that makes sense…" Draco went along with. "Let's… go inside. Even though the temperature feels like seventy-ish degrees... the humidity is dense around here." Feli spoke up.

We entered the joint without another second of that humid air. Ms. Ando spoke to a receptionist in Japanese, while we waited in anticipation. She came back with number codes for our rooms. "Here are four codes. Each of these will open up a room in this place. Since we have nine people, one the rooms will have to be shared by three of us. I could only get us one room for three people. The others are for two people each. We'll head for the fourth floor, and you'll think about who you want to bunk with." She came back to tell us. Thus, I began thinking right off the bat. _Hmm… Well…_ _I have already bunked with Ringo when we were in the Puyo Isles. It would be a tad redundant to choose her again. I'll also have to consider the fact that I could be one of three sharing a room. Maybe I can band together with Ex and Tarutaru, since we're the only three guys here… No. As much as I like Ex as a friend, I wanna have so much fun. Amitie is a ball of sunshine, but she is too overbearing with her optimism. Arle could be an interesting choice… I haven't really spent much time with her, even taking the Puyo Isles into consideration. Oooooh, but Feli and Draco are so hard to pass up on. I'll have to see what choices the others will choose before I decide._ We hopped on an elevator to take us to the fourth floor. Next to our rooms, we came to make our decisions. "So, has everyone thought over a final choice?" Ms. Ando asked us. We all nodded, but my nod was just there so I could come up with my choice. "I wanna be with Amitie in a room." Arle said. "A-Arle…" Amitie reacted with a smile. "I could bunk with Dave and Tarutaru. It makes perfect sense since we're a trio of guys, and only one of the rooms we have is made for three." Ex logically stated. "Wha...? No, I wanna be with Dave." Draco pleaded. "Me too." Feli followed. "***sigh*** Do you two really want him THAT badly?" Ringo pressed her hand against her face. "Ringo, you don't know my loneliness... I haven't seen much of him since we came back from the Puyo Isles. If anyone wants him, there's no one more deserving of having Dave than me." Draco expressed. "And don't say that you want to bunk with him, because it isn't happening. You already live with him back home, right? Then, you also bunked with him on that island resort. In a way, you have hogged him to yourself for quite some time now." Feli looked at Ringo, slightly jealous. "Feli… I didn't say that I wanted to bunk with Dave this time around. If anything… I wanna be with… Mom. I haven't slept with her since I was a little girl. I was hoping I could relive that feeling once more." She told her while blushing. "I… don't think Dave should with you two, Feli and Draco. I understand the relationship you all share... but, I've made up my mind that we should all be discreet here. Most of us don't know how Japanese people behave. I think it would be best that we remain quiet here and don't do anything weird." Ex spoke up against. "..." Neither of them didn't say anything in response to his words. All they could do was stand there and hold on to each other. Feli and Draco seemed rather sad by this, but didn't express much of it. However, I could tell that their hearts were crying on the inside. I had to say something. "***sigh* **Fine, I'll be with you, Ex and Tarutaru… Sorry girls, we can have our fun and love outside this partially worn down popsicle stand. I just don't want us to receive complaints from other guests, of which are only in Japanese no less… We'd be screwed if there isn't a place for us to stay at. If we do our love-filled hijinks here, we would have to be suuuuuper quiet about that. I doubt that you two could pull it off. Just be lucky that complaints weren't sent our way from that one night at the Puyo Isles. Maybe you can get to know each other more without me being in the way. Think about the good that can do." I said to them, ending with a smile. "Dave…" Feli stopped without saying another word. "R-really…?" Draco came to me. "Yeah, it could be fun… AND, it won't be noisy, correct?" I convinced them. They looked at each other for a minute and clasped the other's hand. Feli and Draco nodded, then agreed to be a pair in a room.

"Now, since that's been settled... let me tell you all a custom that the Japanese go by. As I unlock the door to my room, you'll see another door directly in front of it from our view." Ms. Ando showed us. "Huh? What's the purpose of having another door here?" Amitie was confused. _That's a good question… _why_ is there another door here? _I thought. "Well… this is here to provide a space for your shoes to go. In Japan, it's bad to enter in a house, an apartment's room, or in this case, a hotel room with your shoes on. Instead, you put on slippers (like the ones you see here) as footwear while you're inside, standing, or walking about. Also, your personal belongings should stay in this little area as well." She explained. _Ah, that makes sense. I've seen plenty of anime where characters do that._ I came to realize. "I heard of keeping the living space spotless, but this is somewhat overkill…" Ex felt awkward. "Aw man… I have to go through with doing _"manners"_ stuff?" Arle sounded bummed out. "Arle, it's not that bad, you can deal with it." Ringo eased her friend. "I'm… somewhat accustomed to this already… don't ask how, I just am." Tarutaru mentioned. "Oh, really? That's surprising." I responded to him. "So, we have to keep in mind to leave our shoes in that area before entering these rooms? I can remember that!" Amitie cheerfully said. "It's strange, but I don't mind. I already keep my shoes away from my room's floor back at home anyway." Feli spoke with not much concern in her voice. "Dave, what are your thoughts about this?" Ringo wondered. "Ringo, I already know how this custom goes and I don't mind it either. But… it might take me some time to get used to it. I haven't done it in practice, I've only seen it in anime." I answered. "Oh, I see. I guess the only person who REALLY needs to adjust to this is Arle. Don't worry, I'll get you to be a well-mannered person, and you won't hate it." She turned around to look at her. "Ringo, this kind of this is making me uncomfortable." "C'mon, Arle. This will improve your livelihood, at least try it." "***sigh*** Fine… I won't neglect this practice…" "Good." Ringo softly clapped her hands together. "So um… how do we know which rooms are which?" I scratched my head. "Dave, do you see the little numbers on the top-left corner of these number code sheets? Next to those, there's Japanese lettering that displays _"Room number"_." Ms. Ando showed me. "Mhm. I see it… So, if I look at this and follow the room numbers on the door… I can eventually find one corresponding to the sheet it's associated with." I requested for her to hand me the code sheet for the three person room. I slowly walked forward, glancing over at the numbers on the doors. After thirty seconds, I found it. "Hey, Ex and Tarutaru, looks like I've found it." I called them over and they came. As it turned out, our room was farther down the hallway by quite a margin. "Damn, all the way over here?" Ex sounded like he was bummed out. "I… guess we were all hoping to stay within close proximity…" Tarutaru assumed. "Yeah… this sucks, but at least the girls are close enough together… It should be fine, guys." I told them. "I suppose so…" Ex shrugged. "Now, about that code…" Tarutaru reminded me. "Yeah. Ex, how about you put it in? You're good with punching commands in back at the Tetra, right? Besides, I think I trust you more with holding on to that sheet than myself." I gave him the sheet. "Alright, sure. What are friends for Dave?" He smiled. Ex entered in the code and the door opened. "... And there's the in-between spot. … Hey, isn't this one a little bigger than that other one?" Tarutaru noticed. "Well, this room was made for three people, so this spot must also be optimized for that, Tarutaru…" I guessed. "Either way, it's thoughtful design." Ex appreciated. We saw the girls go and do their thing with the rooms they were given. With our things still by our side we entered into the small space. After we took off our shoes... and put on the slippers, we left our stuff by our shoes and locked the code door behind us.

We finally saw how the room itself appeared. "Well… I didn't have the highest of expectations, but…" I stopped. "Yeah, this... wasn't what I imagined either…" Ex became a little pale. What we as a trio saw in this room was rather... underwhelming. It looked shabby and low-class, the lights were somewhat dim, and the faucets seemed to have trouble with bringing in water. The bath and shower were an exception to that, those worked fine. No kitchen was present, meaning no stove or microwave. _Good thing we didn't bring any food that requires cooking…_ I sighed in my mind. The primary portion of the room seemed to be a living area. And then, a small section was dedicated to sleeping. "Dave, what are those?" Ex pointed. "Oh, those?" From my world, they're called futons. Basically, cheaply-made beds that rest flat on the floor. They're more like sleeping bags, but I digress. More traditional beds are less common in Japan. A lack of comfort from the pillow is going to irritate me…" I sighed at the end. "... Am I even able to fit in one of those?" Tarutaru doubted. "I dunno." I shrugged. Just then, I got a text message from Ringo. _"What the hell?! The room that me and Mom are in is not adequate!" _I made a reply to her with the following: _"Ringo, what do you mean by "not adequate"? What seems to be the issue?" "Dave, this room looks like it's on the verge of being broken down. It's almost like an abandoned location with this level of crap. I would suggest that you come see it for yourself." "Okay…?" _I pocketed my phone and went over to my shoes. "Dave, where are you going?" Ex noticed me trying to leave. "Ringo just suggested that I would check out her room. Apparently, she mentioned that it looked like _"an abandoned location"_. That, and she said that it was crap in a nutshell. I'll be back." I left and closed the code door. I wasn't concerned with locking myself out. I knew that I could just text Ex and tell him to let me in. I slowly walked over to her room, building up the suspense.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and friends arrived at Japan in Ringo's world. All seemed to be great at first, but then... things turned sour. Witch zipped in hot pursuit of Dave after hearing that he revealed the secret to Feli. In the hotel that Ms. Ando booked for everyone, the three-person room was found to be underwhelming by the guys. Dave got a message from Ringo, telling him that her room was inadequate. He decided to check it out for himself. What level of terrible conditions does that room fall under? How are conditions in the other two unaccounted rooms? What will Witch do to Dave if she finds him? Next chapter, Chapter 38: Misleading Conditions.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38: Misleading ****Conditions**

I approached the door and made a text to Ringo, notifying her to let me in. She opened the door, and I entered. "How bad is it?" I asked. "Take a look for yourself, Dave." She insisted. I examined the vicinity and was in utter horror and shock. "Oh God… it's worse than I imagined it in my head… The visible abandonment isn't subtle in the slightest." I said. Walls were heavily scratched up, causing the wallpaper to peel off and deteriorate. There was this… funky odor, water faucets were completely clogged with gunk, the entire room as a whole was just a mess. "Th-this is… downright unacceptable… Does the staff care not for the state of these?" I felt offended by the poor preservation. "That appears to be a _"no"_, Dave. I can't believe it… in a Japanese hotel of all things. You would have expected it to be conserved much better, but not for this place." Ms. Ando was annoyed by this. "Look at the shower and bath! This odd ooze is released instead of normal bath water." Ringo showed me. "Yuuuck! I don't even want to begin to know what THAT stuff is. Seriously, what the hell is this… abortion of a hotel room?!" I nearly hurled. I decided to take my leave and go back. "How were things over there?" Ex wondered. "Worse than what you can ever possibly imagine. Our room looks NICE by comparison, and that's saying something. And before you go and ask _"How bad?"_, just don't." I shook my head. An hour after we had just sat around, I got a new message from Ringo. _"Where are you guys? We need you to meet up with us in the hallway outside. Mom seems to have something planned for us. The other girls are with us as well. Tell Ex and Tarutaru to come with you." _I did just that, and they decided to follow me outside we everybody else stood. "So, Ms. Ando… mind telling us what this is about?" Ex came up to her. "We're taking a look at our surroundings. Ikebukuro is a nice section of Tokyo, but not too flashy. Therefore, it feels more like a home than a top-of-the-line city. I had a feeling that everyone would be more into something like this for the time being. There are other districts, like Shibuya… but, we won't bother with those right now. Dave, you have a fondness for anime, so we'll stop by somewhere that shows them off." She said. I honestly didn't know what to say. I felt so free and cheerful after I heard that. All I could do was smile. "Oh boy, look at his eyes…" Ringo sighed. "... Ringo, are you THAT embarrassed?" I looked at her. "..." She silently pouted. "C'mon, don't be like that, Ringo… Isn't that something that you're supposed to embrace? I don't know what this _"anime" _is, but it MUST be exciting if Dave likes it." Arle said to her. "... Fine." Ringo sighed again. Walking through the sidewalks of Ikebukuro proved to be adventurous. Exploring a new place that you have never been to is usually pretty fun. This was no exception to that.

I got to see all the Japanese citizens go about their day. As I expected it to be, most don't talk to others… only the closest of friends did so. "Hey, isn't that…?" I stopped moving. "Yeeeeep... that's the cosplay area. I don't feel proud that this is still a public thing here…" Ringo turned around. "What's so bad about it? That actually looks fun." Ex seemed confused. "Look here, it's not bad per se. It's just that… I find it too silly to look back at my past, involving this and anime." She explained. "Ringo, that was just you as a kid displaying the spirit of fictional characters. We all did it at some point when we were children. The very young tend to have imaginative minds. It may be silly to look back at today, but it made sense back then. It's one of those things that comes from growing up. When I was a little boy, I had some of the most inventive imagination a child could have. I wasn't necessarily smart, but I had my own fantasies. My mind had a burst of creativity. Now though… through the process of aging, I lost a lot of that sight. My brain is still quite creative for a young adult, but not like how it used to be. I've been exposed to reality, more mature themes, and what-not. I can't see the world through imaginative lenses anymore. It's like a blur… Now that I'm no longer a child, I only think about realistic things for the most part. But, if it was a price for getting more intelligent… then it was well worth it. I believe a good mind consists of great intelligence and a dash of innovation… don't you think so, Ringo?" I went on. "Dave, sometimes… I think that Amitie's optimistic personality has rubbed too much on you…" "Come on, Ringo. Can't you just embrace everything from your past? How many times have we been over this? Look toward the future with pride and never lose sight of who you are. Even if your embarrassing takes on characters got you riled up today… accept that this was at one point, a part of you. I like you just the way you are, regardless of any _"embarrassing"_ memories of being a child. Ringo, you're still a girl that I love..." I kissed her. "...!" "...and don't say anything that is contrary. You're you and there's nothing wrong with that to me, alright?" "Dave…" She kissed me back before it was stopped. "Okay, that's enough of showing your love in public, you two. It's making things look awkward for the rest of us." Arle became a bit peeved. "Arle, you killed the mood…" I frown. "Well, we have places to go… and YOU'RE holding us up." She glared at me. "That is a good point… besides, the japanese people will think that we're weird if you don't stop." Ringo agreed. "Fine…" I conceded.

Arle continued to look at me, making sure that I wouldn't delay movement. "***sigh***… why is Arle so pessimistic all of a sudden?" I wondered. "It's probably because she wants to see what anime is for herself. Arle can be rather impulsive at times." Ringo guessed. "Like, she's impatient? Makes sense…" I shrugged. "I heard that... I'm just curious, that's all. Do YOU see me in any sort of rush here? No. No, you don't. I'm walking at the same pace like everyone else." Arle said. "Really? That's not what your choice of words seem to suggest, Arle." I told her. "Shut it, Know-it-all-lover-boy." "L-Lover-boy?" I reacted. "Yes. If you would let me finish… I'm not one of those people who can't sit around, like hyperactive idiots. I'm in my early twenties, so I can't just run around for like a straight hour without a break." She explained to me. "So wait… how old are you?" I asked. "How rude. Asking somebody like me how old I am… ***sigh*** If you must know… I'm twenty-two." Arle answered. "Huh. You look younger than that… more like nineteen." I told her. "If that was your attempt to flatter me after asking for my age, then you've failed miserably. Just stop talking to me and don't say anything about me." It was clear that she became irritated by me. _***sigh* **__Why are women so complicated?_ We saw an anime shop and looked inside. "... What is this?" I began to glance at one of them in particular, a DVD case. The cover art features a high school boy and a frog. Japanese lettering accompanied the art, appearing at the top. Obviously, I couldn't read it, so I got Ringo. "Hey, what's this title, Ringo?" I presented it to her. "Hm… Uh… Ryōseirui no senshi... - kōkōsei to kare no kaeru no monogatari…? I have no idea what it could roughly mean in English, Dave." She told me straight. "What? But… you lived in Ikebukuro in the past... How?" I wondered. "I guess… I don't know as much Japanese as I thought I knew. Well, I know that the word _"monogatari"_ mostly means story, but as for the rest of the title… I don't know." Ringo felt bewildered. "Perhaps I can be of help..." Ms. Ando looked at the title, like Ringo did. "Ah, I know what this displays..." She said. "You do?" We both tilted our heads. "I'll give it an accurate translation, it's... _"The Amphibian Warrior - A Tale of a High School Student and his Frog"_. That's what I see it as… And what's this…?" She turned the case around and read the back.

"Let's see here… _"Our hero, Hideki, finds himself in the midst of danger. One day, he was attacked by an evil band of tsuchinoko people, the Tsu Marauders. Left on the ground to die, Hideki was rescued by one of the last frog people left in Japan. This frog's name was Jiraiya, the one who was destined to save the land. He told him that if the Tsu Marauders don't stop, they'll kill every other creature around. He also tells Hideki that the frog and tsuchinoko peoples are able to transform into either their human or true forms. Although Jiraiya is a frog person himself, he is not able to transform into a human for some reason. And without a human form, he doesn't stand a chance at fighting back. Hideki wishes that there was something he could do to help. Jiraiya then thinks of an idea involving Hideki to be used as a host. He said that he could fade inside of the boy's body. There was an issue with this though; Hideki would have to be the one to fight since it is his body. He agrees to help Jiraiya, then begins to learn the martial arts of frog people. This will lead him through a huge adventure, meeting allies and enemies along the way." _Wow that was a long synopsis… Whew." Ms. Ando caught her breath. After we listened to the synopsis, we realized that the idea of the premise was unique. Sure, rising tensions between frogs and snakes is nothing new, but this takes it in a different direction. These weren't just frogs and snakes... they were two groups of warriors, duking it out in a war. I liked it because of that aspect. Time passed and we left, where I bumped into somebody. "Oof-!" I go. "Hey, watch where you're going! Seriously, what's up with the people here? … Hm?" A voice shot out. _Huh? Somebody else speaks English around here? Wait… is that…? _I looked up. "Oshare Bones? What are you doing here?" I reacted. "Oh! There you are, Dave! I was looking for you and your friends. I heard about you guys going to this Japan place, word on the street. Naturally, I became curious and decided it would be a great time to go. I was a bit fatigued with handling the shop. I figured that this would be the break that I needed… especially with Winter approaching. Ms. Accord told me to travel to Suzuran first, then catch a flight. Yes. She's the one who told me about you going to Japan. I guess she observed you talking to your classmates and that's how she knew. Anyway, I wanted to see how culture was like here. The clothes that people wear, what they do, et cetera. I will say though, this place isn't as colorful as it could be… A lot of the buildings have just brown, black, grey, or combination of the three. Not exactly stellar if you ask me… ***gasp*** Dave, who is that man right by you?!" Oshare noticed. "Uh, you mean Ex?" I pointed to him. "Yes, yes! Could I see him, please?" He requested. I brought Ex over as part of the request. "Hey... is that a skeleton…?" Ex looked. "I'm not just ANY skeleton. My name is Oshare Bones, I run a clothing store in Primp Town." "Oh! So you're the one who got clothes for Yui…! I'm Ex and I really appreciate her being a happy daughter, thank you." He thanked the skeleton. "What? You're her father? Did you seriously take in an incarnated human girl to raise? You must have a really caring side to you… it brings a tear to my eye. Anyway, you look incredible in those! The suspenders compliment your figure nicely, Ex. Top it off with that classy bowtie… and you got yourself somebody who almost looks just as fabulous as me." Oshare praised. "Huh… so that must be some pretty high praise. I'm honestly shocked, no one ever really pays any mind to what I wear. Oshare, you have made my day." Ex bowed to him. The skeleton then turned back to me. "So, Dave… I know that it hasn't been that long ago, but how have things been?" He asked me. "There have been ups and downs, however... me, Amitie, and the others are doing fine." I answered. "Good. Oh-! I have to take my leave now. There's things around for me to see and do. Goodbye~!" Oshare left. "And there he goes…" I mumbled. "Dave, everyone else is taking off without you again." Tarutaru approached me. "***sigh* **Good God... can't they just tell me before leaving?"

I dashed and he followed behind. "***pant pant*** This... is the second time that you guys left without telling me today. What the hell?" I complained. "Well, that's what you get for wasting the time we have!" Arle pointed at me. "Arle, it honestly wasn't THAT bad and we have plenty of time. This is only the first day of us being here, chill." I made my case. "Yeah, Arle… I get that your curiosity and enthusiasm is at an all-time high… but this is supposed to be a time where we're taking our time and having fun. Please, try to remember that…" Ringo agreed. "Yes, just loosen yourself up. There is no need to be so impatient… okay?" Ex nodded and waited for an answer. "***sigh* **I guess… sorry, Dave." Arle apologized. "It's okay, we just need to all be on the same page from now on. You are my friend, and I am your friend too, Arle." I held out my hand. "Heh. Always coming through with your softness… it's hard to believe that you're a guy. But yeah, you're right. We are friends, Dave." We made a handshake, solidifying respect and understanding. "And thus, another problem resolved by using friendship!" Amitie smiled.

We spent the rest of the day, enjoying ourselves. The time for dinner arrived and I felt extremely hesitant on eating anything remotely Asian. Up until here, I have not had anything in that category. I'm a… picky eater, so it's hard for me to try new things. Not to mention, I've never held chopsticks in my hands either. I thought for sure that it was going to suck for me. "Wh-what's wrong, Dave? Aren't ya gonna eat?" Draco noticed my subtle sulking. "Well…" I told her about my issue and she took note. "Dave… I understand. There's plenty of food that I don't dare to eat. I avoid plants because not only do I find them to be yucky, but they also mess up my diet. I eat tons of meat for it." "So you're a carnivore then…" "A carni-what?" "A carnivore is a living thing that eats meat as its main source of energy. Herbivores are the opposite of that, only eating plants. Omnivores are in the very middle of the two others. They can eat anything, as long as it's edible. A human is the most obvious example of an omnivore. Besides us though, not many other animals fall under that. Bears like Risukuma are also omnivores." "Wait, bears actually eat plants?" "Not as often as eating other animals, Draco. They mostly hunt around in shallow rivers, scooping up any fish that come by. But, I digress… The point is, you eat meat and I'm very much _"pick and choose"_ with food. ***sigh* **This is the only part of the trip that sucks for me. Well, besides the fact that the locals here speak Japanese and most of us do not." "Oh, you poor thing…" Draco softly squeezed me and kissed my cheek. "Dr-Draco…?" "I'm not sure how much say I have in this, but… I think you should try new things, Dave. At least feel hopeful that you'll like whatever you haven't tried yet. And if not, remember what I'm telling you today and think of me being supportive. I may not be the brightest bulb screwed in, but I believe in my heart. So c'mon, whaddya say?" "I… I… … …" "I see… it looks like you need more motivation." "...!" This kiss Draco gave me was salivating, like she had held saliva in her mouth to exchange with me. "There. Some of my love lies with you now. You got me on your- no. You have Ringo, Feli, AND me by your side. Ever since we had been in this relationship with you, Dave… all three of us watched as you proved to be an awesome guy. Hell, I was awestruck when you turned into a dragon for the first time… even if it was an incomplete transformation. And, I felt so obligated to help you reach the complete dragon form. Hear this... I did a solid for ya and it's now time to do one for me. Just dig in, no matter what you think at first. Can you do just that for me~?" I didn't want to ruin this for us. But, I was so conflicted with this. "Aw, fuck it… I'll join, Draco." "You'll eat with the rest of us?!" "Hesitantly, yes." We joined back up with the others. "There you are... where were you?" Ringo looked at me. "Oh, he just needed some persuasion from me to eat this stuff, that's all." Draco answered for me. "!" My worst fears from the world of food were realized. Raw fish in the form of sushi, spicy dishes, the works. My body was not designed to handle even a hint of spiciness. And, raw meat just makes me feel ill. Combine those two atrocities together, and I would be in critical condition. This was all assuming if I could even pick up anything with the sticks. _Shit… my body will cry with pain and illness if any of that enters my mouth and esophagus. But… I couldn't say no to Draco's plea. Damn! What am I going to do?!_ I thought hard and quickly, but nothing came to mind. I sat down, grabbed the chopsticks, and swallowed my own saliva hard. Thankfully for my end... I could not grab anything for the life of me. I figured that I was fine. But then, trouble for me brewed again. "Well... it looks like you can't use those effectively. Here, say ah~." Ringo moved the sushi closer to my mouth. Meanwhile, I was shaking uncontrollably, fearing the worst outcome. "Uuuuum, maybe this isn't a good idea…" I tried talking to her. "Nonsense, you agreed to do this. What's the worst that can possibly happen?" She shook. "_That's only because Draco practically begged me…_" I spoke under my own breath. "C'mon, eat it. You need to eat- -something…!" She shoved it into my mouth. "!" _Holy shit! This tastes awful! But, I have to swallow it. Ugh… here goes nothing!_ I chewed at it slowly, showing signs that I was NOT enjoying this at all. I finally swallowed it and I immediately felt light-headed. "How… was it?" Ex asked away. "It… was… ...!"

**Ringo's POV **

Dave was about to say something regarding the sushi, but then he fell over. He was knocked out cold within three seconds. "! D-Dave!" Ex worried. "***gasp***" Arle and Amitie stood up. "Oh my God, what happened to him?!" Feli reacted. "Dave?!" Draco came to him. "Unfortunate to be him…" Tarutaru shook his head slowly in sadness. "This is horrible… Was this the outcome he hinted at when he said that this wasn't a good idea for him?" I speculated. "This is my fault… I drove him to eating the food here… Damn! If only he told me this would happen before it was too late…" Draco lifted his body up to a sitting position. "Dear me… He should have told me that something like this would occur beforehand." Mom approached him. "Ms. Ando, do you know what happened to Dave?" Ex asked. "I think I do… it seems like his body is very sensitive to certain things." She explained. "What kind of things, Mom?" I laid down another question. "Well… think, my girl. What did he just eat?" "Sushi?" "And…? What is sushi in a nutshell?" "Raw fish… …! Hold on. I'm going to call one of my friends from home." I walked away to be alone and punched in Ris' number on my cell phone. "C'mon…!" "... Hello?" "Ris, it's me, Ringo." "Ringo…? Anyway, I'm assuming that you need something from me." "Yeah, it's about Dave. He ate raw fish and now he's out cold." "He what?! … This isn't good… that means he became ill from it." "You mean… he's sick?" "Yes, if he passed out from eating any form of raw meat… then that means his body isn't used to any bacteria or virus that originates from that. I'm no doctor, but if a person gets those things when they are not used to them… they could very well die. It's not unthinkable, you know." "Then I have probably killed Dave without even realizing it…" "? Did you coerce him into eating it?" "Uuuuh… kinda? He couldn't use chopsticks so I had to pick up his food for him. And then, he was suggesting that it probably wasn't a good idea." "You should have listened to him, Ringo." "I know… I've been a bad girlfriend to him and now he's on his way to a deathbed, right before my eyes." "There's still time to save him, Ringo. He just needs to be treated before it becomes too late. I think we should hang up now, you need to get him to the nearest hospital ASAP." "Alright, Ris. Bye." I held my phone tightly, then pocketed it seconds later. "Mom, where's the nearest hospital?" I came back. "It's within half a mile from here." She answered. "... Everyone, please follow us." Ex requested. "Actually, Ex… you take care of everyone else." Mom told him. "W-wait, what?! Why?!" He asked. "Japanese hospitals really don't like it when big groups of people enter at a time. Ex, you're the only other adult in this group. Here, I'll leave a map of Ikebukuro with you. Who can carry Dave over there?" She looked at the others. "I've lifted him up before, Miss. I'll do it." Tarutaru stepped up. "Okay. Now, Ringo… I want you to stay with your friends until we come back, even if that means you go back to the hotel rooms without us." Mom told me. "But, Mom… I wanna be by Dave's side." I insisted. "My girl, need I remind you of how Japanese hospitals prefer tranquility over panic?" "... No… I understand." I gave up. "Good. I'll go now." She patted my head, then left with Tarutaru, who was carrying Dave. "Well, it just seems like nothing can go right for Dave… Seriously, every time that he is thrown into a different scenario, it almost never ends well for him." Ex sighed. "Yeah, he doesn't deserve this!" Amitie agreed. "Now I just feel sorry for him falling victim to that..." Arle sat down. "This… is the second time that he has gotten sick from an outside entity. The first thing didn't even happen that long ago…" Feli bit her lower lip. _Is… she referring to the time when he caught that Puyo-like fever?_ "There's nothing that we can do about this for right now, so let's go back to the hotel and sit tight, everyone." Ex proposed. All of us went along with him for that reason. Night came and went without much else happening. Mom didn't return, so it was safe to assume that she and Tarutaru were still with Dave. I prayed for him to pull through and met up with everyone else for the morning. "Woah, um… did you two have trouble sleeping?" I noticed Draco and Feli having bags under their eyes. "***yawn* **Yeeeeah… we were so worried for him and so, that anxiety kept our asses up for the whole night." Feli wobbled a little. "I figured that was the case…" Ex cracked his neck. "Let's put a little faith in Dave's ability to get himself out of this. He may look and act fragile, but I've seen some of his toughness. Ex, you've witnessed it more than me. If anyone is going to put in the most faith here, it would be you, yeah?" Arle turned over to him. "I suppose so, Arle. … Let's not sulk about anymore. Dave would want us to have the time of our lives, even at the expense of his own misfortune. Let's see more of Ikebukuro, yes?" He brought up. "But… the only one that knows Japanese out of any of us is me. It'll be hard to enjoy a place like this with a lack of good communication." I argued. "Huh… that IS certainly an issue… Hm…" He pondered. "Trips like this just don't seem to work out… First the Puyo Isles with that whole murder incident, and now this… ***sigh***" Feli crossed her arms. The entire day was uneventful and Mom still didn't return with Dave and Tarutaru. I would've texted her and asked for Dave's condition by now, but I already knew that she had her cell phone off. It's not good to have a live cell phone in a hospital, unless in the case of it being used for an emergency. I prayed continuously for Dave to be okay, up to the late portions of the night.

**Witch's POV**

"***sigh* **Finally made it to this _"Japan" _place… let's see if I can find Dave with this. … … He's sleeping in a… no. He's… suffering on a bed? Something is wrong with him… and I just came here to punish him. … … "ARGH! Why is that boy prone to change so easily?! Damn this! Either way, I must come to him. It looks like one of those hospitals… and everything is still and silent. Hm? Who's that woman with him? And, that other guy too… Hold on, I think I've at least seen HIM before. Taru… taru, I believe his name is? They're both quite distraught and sad by Dave's look. God… just what happened to him? I need to see which hospital it is… … … … I'll turn myself and my broom invisible, then scour around, outside of the building." I did just that and I eventually found the room he resided in. _There. I'll open the window, enter, and close it back up. … ! Phew, that was a close one… One of them almost woke up from the sound of the window being opened. Dave's unconsciously clutching his stomach… _I went to go and touch it. _"Is he having a serious stomach ache?_ I felt his forehead, then I finally understood what might have happened to him. _He must've eaten something bad, right? His head is on fire and his movements are telling me everything. I might have something to alleviate that… uh… Ah-ha! Here! This pill will do the trick. I remember it being able to stabilize the digestive system and kill off anything bad. It should do the trick… at least I hope that it does. Time to shove it in his mouth… _I waited for when Dave opened it and chuck the pill inside. He by instinct, began to chew on the pill and swallow it. _Well, that's proof that his body can still feel things as he sleeps… Time to ditch this place and go home. I don't feel right about punishing him anymore, at least, not right now anyway. _I left for home in a portal, created by yours truly.

**Satan's POV**

"Well... I wasn't expecting Witch to do that, especially since she was going to harm Dave. Still, if she tries anything funny after he returns home… I'll have to stop her before she gets out of hand." I said to myself.

**Amitie's POV**

"***yawn* **… I reeeeally hope Dave will be fine…" I got up. "It should be fine, Amitie... Dave got out of sickness before. If he did it once, he'll get by again with the right stuff." Arle reassured me. "I sure hope you're right about that, Ar… ly." My brain screwed up. "Uh… did you just call me... Arly, Amitie?" "H-huh?! Oh, uh… sorry about that, Arle! Just kinda tired, that's all. I didn't mean to call you by that name." "I understand. We're all tired in some way, because of this trip." We got ready and left our room to see the others. "Hey Ringo, did you get anything from your mom?" I approached her. "N-no, Amitie…" She replied. "Oh…" I didn't bother with asking anything else out of her. _***sigh***__ I can tell that she misses Dave. And, what's worse about all of this… we don't know his current condition. But yeah, he's always passed out in some way, shape, or form. I'm tired of him going through all of that, I want Dave to actually live without all these problems. Granted... me, Arle, and Ringo often have issues of our own to deal with, but we've been coping with them for years. Him though? He's only been with us for a few months at most. He's strong for sure, however… even if he does wake up, will he have the motivation to keep living as our friend? N-no! I mustn't hesitate! I know that he can pull through, because I'll help him as his source of optimism! _I shook my head.

**Tarutaru's POV**

We continued to watch him closely. For an hour since we came to his side in the morning, he didn't budge. Suddenly, his body began to twitch. "Hm?" I noticed. "Ms. Ando, you may want to see this..." I tapped her. "Huh?" Ms. Ando looked back. "Ooooough… Where am I?" Dave muttered. "Dave, you're awake…!" She placed her hand on his cheek. "I… am? Last thing I remember was… eating that piece of sushi." He rubbed his eyes. "How are you feeling now?" I asked him. "Tarutaru, you're here? … I'm fine, almost as though it never even happened." He replied to me. "Awfully quick of a recovery if you ask me… but, I'm not complaining. Ringo will be so relieved to hear this news." Ms. Ando stood up. After some time, Dave was able to stand up like normal and all that. We were, in turn, able to leave after the hospital bill was paid for. "Finally, now that we're outside, I can send a message to my girl." She reached for her phone.

**Amitie's POV**

***buzz buzz* **We heard a buzzing noise kick in. "It's… my phone…!" Ringo realized and reached into her pocket. "I-Is it a text?" Ex looked at the screen. "_"You won't believe this, Ringo! … Dave just came to this morning and we are out of the hospital. Where are you guys right now?"_, it says." She read over. "That's great!" I perked up. "For real?!" Draco flew off, looking for him from the air. "! Let's follow her, guys!" Feli ran off. "H-hey! Wait for us!" Arle scrambled to her feet. As we tailed behind Draco, Ringo looked like she was sending a message back to her mom. "Alright, I told Mom that Draco is flying in the air, looking for Dave. She'll know where to go if she sees her." She told us. "Awesome! As long as this doesn't take too long, we can meet back up again." Ex kept up the pace. "***pant pant* **Ugh. Running tires me out so easily…" I slowed down. "Amitie! Don't lose steam, stay with us!" Feli looked back. "I'll… catch up. You guys… just go on ahead…" I continued to pant. "Then I'm staying with you." Ex stopped and remained by my side. "Okay, just don't move from there. We'll come back with them to get you two." Arle promised. "***pant pant pant*** … … Whew… I'm just beat." I found a place to sit. "I'm guessing that you were never good with physical exercise, Amitie…" "Nope… I suck at it, Ex." "That's only because your body is out of shape. How often do you go out and run, or do other things of the sort?" "... …" "... I'm going to assume not often at all…" "H-hey! I'm a girl who focuses on magic, why would I be good with running or whatever?" "It's still nice to have moderate exercise, at least on a weekly basis. It allows you to be more flexible in fights. Don't the lessons or whatnot you do in Ms. Accord's class have you run at the minimum?" "Not on my side of it. Dave, Raffina, Tarutaru, and Yui have that. Ms. Accord is just having the likes of me do what I typically do best. And of course, you train Dave, one-on-one… He's like the uh... What do you call something or someone who is solid at everything, Ex?" "Jack of all trades?" "Ah-! Yeah, that. He has exercise AND magic up to eleven. He's so powerful… it's hard to NOT admire him for it" "Yeah. Dave has been the strongest person I have ever made friends with. Who knows, maybe you can make new friends too if you work hard enough. I'm sure Dave would love that." "You think so?" "I know so, Amitie…" We both sat around with smiles for the rest of our time alone.

**Dave's POV**

I felt brand-new after recovering from that piece of sushi… for the most part. I realized that I became sorely in need of food. My stomach growled loudly and persistently. "Ugh… my stomach's going bonkers and I can't do anything about it, Ms. Ando..." I moped. "I'm thinking about having us return home, because of that, Dave." She decided. "Aw man… Well, Japan… it was nice being here… while it lasted anyway. Short lived…" I sighed. "I know… you really wanted to see all the anime stuff right? I'm sorry that it didn't come to full fruition." She apologized. "It's fine. … We were all taught a valuable lesson in the end." I told her. "... And what might that be?" She wondered. "A person eating foreign food has a good chance of ending up like how I did, just a couple of days ago… from what you told me that is…" I said. "Hm… that is a good lesson to learn... Huh?" Ms. Ando stopped and saw something up above us, which made me and Tarutaru look up as well. "Draco?" I squinted. Then, it looked like she found us and landed on the ground. "You're okay!" Draco bear-hugged me. "It's nice and all… but I'm still kinda weak at the moment, Draco. … D-do you think you can stop?" I pleaded. "O-oh, sorry…" She stopped. "There they are!" I heard Feli's voice. "G-guys!" I saw. "He's weak, don't hug him, alright?" Draco told them. "I'm glad that you're okay." Ringo held my hand and smiled. "Heh… I feel that you say that all the time. But… it's justified. I'm always getting myself around that threshold towards death like a dumbass." I said to her. "But… you're not a dumbass, Dave. You're just an unlucky person whose misfortune knows no bounds at times." Ringo told me. "Really? Then… I guess I haven't truly seen myself for who I am. I figured that I would be given a break from possible negative outcomes. However, that just doesn't seem to be the case. Say… where's Amitie and Ex?" I looked about, but I couldn't see those two. "Amitie became tired from running, so Ex opted to stay behind with her." Feli explained to me. "They should still be back over where we came from, let's go." Arle gestured. We walked back to see those two talking to each other. "Amitie, Ex, it's me!" I hollered and waved. "Wicked! You're okay!" Amitie rushed to me. "Woah!" I reacted as she squeezed me. "W-what's with the affection, Amitie?" I wondered "What do you mean _"what?"_, Dave?! I didn't want you to die, only to see that your condition is stable! How could I NOT be happy?!" She said. "This… isn't the kind of feeling that I'm getting from you. What's going on with you?" I asked. "N-nothing… why would there be something that's going on with me?" She insisted. _I-is she lying to me…? I mean, I don't see a reason for her to lie, but… it looks like she's keeping a secret from me. I'll try to ask her about it when we find some alone time. _"Everybody, it looks like we will all have to go back home because of Dave's problem." Ms. Ando told everyone else. "In the end… I pushed things along too quickly." Arle looked down. "No, it's not your fault, Arle. You had nothing to do with the progression to me eating sushi." I said to her. "Oh yeah, you never got to finish your answer to me how the sushi tasted, Dave." Ex reminded me. I remembered the vile flavor of it and resented the thought of it. "I… didn't like it at all, Ex. It was like a deadly bomb, destroying the taste buds from my very tongue." I gave the straight and obvious answer. "I knew that you would have most likely said something like that… I saw your face as you chewed it down. It was clear to me that you didn't like it from the get-go." He said with a sullen look. "... Let's go home… after we get our stuff." Ringo said. All of us nodded and went to the hotel to retrieve our belongings. Ms. Ando requested an early exit from the staff, to which they allowed. Getting to the airport, we were able to catch a flight back to Suzuran. For most of the plane ride, we dozed off since it was supposed to be nighttime over there. Waking up ten minutes before departure, our sleep schedule returned to how it was before going to Japan. "***yawn* **Morning…" I quietly said while stretching. "Mornin'." Draco sat up. "Jet lag is a bitch…" Ex rubbed his eyes. We landed and left the plane with our things intact. "Ugh… as soon as we get home, I'm eating, big time." I swore. "Well... goodbye, Ex. I hope we can see each other again." Ms. Ando wished him a safe return. "Me too... I would like that, Ms. Ando." I saw Ex take off in a portal to Primp Town, where the Tetra was still flying above. The girls, except for Ringo, entered that same portal. Tarutaru was the last to go, waving to me just before leaving. "And… it's just us now." Ringo pointlessly said out loud.

We came back to the house where Ms. Ando cooked breakfast right away. In the meantime, I organized my things in my room and put them away. "***sigh* **… … I still feel bad for causing all of us to abandon the trip so soon… I couldn't even live through a day in Japan…" I continued to sigh during this time. "***sniff sniff* **Hey… ***sniff* **That smells delicious… I wonder what it could be? … My belly is dying, I need to see for myself." I came out of my room to see Ringo just as curious as I was. "Dave… can you smell that aroma?" "Yeah. It smells sweet and… something else I can't exactly describe." "Wanna see what it is?" "Oh, why wouldn't I? Of course I would." We looked down to see Heaven in edible form. "...!" We reacted. The sweet aroma that I had my nose on was none other than cinnamon rolls. "I thought I knew that smell…! Cinnis… mmm…" My mouth salivated. "Sausage, scrambled egg moistened by butter… bacon…" I continued to notice. The options were so mesmerizing to us, and that's when Ringo's mother called for us. She was officially done making one hell of a breakfast. "Oooooohoho~! It all looks so delectable, Ms. Ando! Thank you!" I bowed and smiled. "This is my way to make it up to you, Dave." She smiled back. I started to dig into all of it. Ringo and her mother had their fair-share too. After my stomach was finally satisfied, I felt anew. "Ah… Ringo, your mother is awesome." "Well yeah, that's Mom for you. ***giggle***" "I guess that means the rest of this break will be spent with just us…" "Maybe not, Dave. We can still visit people like Amitie if you want to." I began to think about what she had just said, planning things out.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his friends explored Ikebukuro and everything that it had to offer. By the time that chowing down was the primary focus though… Our main character became pale and actively attempted to avoid eating what was on the table. Even after Draco was able to get him to sit down with the others, Dave knew that he, himself regretted this. Chewing on some sushi caused him to black out for a couple of days. A couple of nights after Dave ate it, Witch secretly entered the hospital room he, as well as Ringo's mother, and Tarutaru resided in. She popped some sort of pill into our hero's mouth, hoping that it would fix him up. The following morning arrived and he woke up, relieving the others. However, this forced the group to go back home, since Dave could not eat anything that Japan offered as a serious meal. With a good portion of the Fall Break left, what else can everybody do? Next chapter, Chapter 39: Downtime Galore.**


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: Downtime Galore**

There didn't seem to be much for us to do, so Ringo and I decided to cuddle at our hearts' content in the living room. Once I again, I was able to feel her skin for a prolonged period of time. "You like the feeling of my skin, don't you?" "Yes… yes, I do, Ringo." "How about my hair?" "It's… smooth, and I've always admired the shade of red it carries." "***giggle* **Thank you, Dave." Our time spent together wasn't anything too important to go into detail. We exchanged a few kisses and hugs, but that's about it... besides one topic we talked about. "Ringo?" "Yeah? What is it?" "What do you want to do after you graduate from school?" "Me? I wanna… be an idol…" "A... pop idol? Ringo, do you… like to sing?" " I do. You didn't know that?" "No, I was never told by you or anyone else." Ms. Ando came into our conversation, hearing that bit. "Oh Dave, remember when I said that Ringo used to act out as the heroine from those shows?" "Uh, yeah… what of it?" "Well, she also had this thing with trying to sing like a star. At first... it was cute, but not good, I'll admit it. As time went on though, her singing voice became much better. Now she sounds like the very idols she used to observe closely. Ringo was a very expressive little girl when she discovered idols. She wanted to be just like them, as she had told me and my husband for years. A dream of hers to fulfill by herself... ***chuckle***" Ringo looked at her mother with slight embarrassment. "Mom…" She hid her face. "Ringo, I think it's great that you were able to find a dream to pursue at such a young age." I admired her commitment. "Wait… what?" "You heard me, Ringo. I think it's legitimately wonderful for you to try and reach it. I never had a dream that I wanted to fulfill when growing up. I just wasn't the type of person that looked for a career path. My early years of school were brutal, and I lacked the will to carry on. I hated the work, always saying that it was just... unnecessary fluff in the grand scheme of things. Unless if it actually taught me something that I knew I would use later on in life… I considered the rest of it pointless busy work. Therefore, all throughout… I remained as a cynical boy, living the life of a meaningless shadow. A shadow of the people who actually succeeded in things. I was left in the dust, destined to rot like an apple's core. It also didn't help that up until I enrolled in a high school from my world, I was… quite autistic." "You… were?" "***sigh* **Yeah... I was as dumb as a bag of bricks for my entire childhood, as well as the start of my teen years. In fact, I still am... to a degree that is." "What do you mean, Dave?" "Ringo… I may seem to be pretty smart on the surface, but really… most of my real intelligence comes from common sense. Think back to all the times I had trouble with our calculus class. Do you honestly believe that I struggled in it only because it was a form of math that I wasn't exposed to? No, I would have fared better if that was the case. I hated math for so long because I found it to be needlessly complex and hard. I don't know if I ever told you the reason before, but that's why I resent the subject to this day. All because of my own brain... It fails to comprehend specific things, and yeah, it makes me think of myself as an idiot. ***sigh* **Why was I developed like this…?" "..."

Ringo wasn't sure what to say after I was finished. She just looked at me straight and drew my body closer to her chest. "...?" I noticed. "It looks like Ringo doesn't want you feeling down, Dave. But, she doesn't know what advice to give you." Ms Ando interpreted for me. "Well, do you have something then, Ms. Ando?" "Yes. There's still time for you to find a dream worth chasing for. There might not be a lot of it, but it could be worse. And maybe, it can be something that'll make you truly happy." She told me before Ringo brainstormed an idea. "That's it! Dave, there are things out there that you don't need to be ridiculously smart or highly skilled at. Ones that promote having fun above all else, for example. I brought up the idol thing from earlier, how about that?" "! Why didn't I think of that…? Ringo, that's an excellent idea! I say that because I sing too!" "You do?!" "Yeah! I told Feli about my passion for it quite some time ago. I mean, I personally don't think that my singing voice is anything to write home about, but…" "I wanna hear it!" "***chuckle* **Alright, alright… Give me lyrics with a rhythm, and I'll be mostly fine." "Sure, I've got lyric sheets around here…" Ringo began looking for some. Ms. Ando seemed to be content with the atmosphere, so she left the room. "Found them." She handed them over to me. "... These are… Japanese lyrics." "Dave, right under the Japanese symbols are romaji." She pointed to show me. "Romaji?" "Yeah. Romaji is basically Japanese spelled out in English letters." "Ah, so that's what it is… I was wondering about that…" "Now, what do you need from me to start singing?" "Well… I guess I could have you go first to see how fast or slow I need to go. I don't understand time signatures or whatever so much. I'll choose... this sheet first." "I see... Okay, repeat after me, this part's pretty simple." These lyrics had me stumbling in quite a few places. I COULD sing alone, but I usually felt better singing with at least one other person. "You have a stupendous singing voice…" "Y-you think so, Ringo? I guess Feli's not alone with her opinion… Uh, can we do these lyrics together?" "Sure, from the top." I began listening to our vocals in sync. I couldn't believe my ears, they carried perfect chemistry. By that, I mean they sounded unreal in unison. "... Wow…" I said after we sang. "Wow is right... you're a natural, Dave!" "Well I have been a part of choirs in the past…" "Heh. So that explains it." We both laughed and I thanked her. She did something for me and I figured that I could also do a thing for her. "Hey, Ringo." "Hm?" "Remember when I talked to Ex on the phone, getting him to join us in Japan?" "Yeah... why are you bringing that up?" "Well… during that moment, Ex mentioned that Tee apologized for everything he has done to us, thanks to Yui." "Really?! How come she didn't tell me the good news?" "I… don't know actually. Anyway, I was thinking that maybe I can have you and Tee talk on the phone. It could get you two to make up and become friends again. Wanna go through with it?" "S-sure, Dave!" She nodded to me and I punched in Ex's number. "Hello." "Ex, are you back in the Tetra?" "I am, Dave. Why?" "I figured that Tee would want to talk to Ringo over the phone and make things up with her, now that this is a good chance to." "... Well, he DID apologized… Why not? It might make him feel happy and motivated. So, you want me to hand my phone to Tee for the time being?" "Yes." "Alrighty. I'll hang up for now, then call back when I'm about to give it to him." "Good." Ex hung up and we waited.

**Tee's POV**

My days in the cell were slow, but I was patient in trying to wait for a month. For some reason, Ex came into my view. "Hey, Tee." "E-Ex? What are you here for?" "Someone called, they wanted to talk to you." "Me? But… who though?" "Why don't you find out? Here." He handed me his phone and I got curious. "H-hello?" I spoke. "Tee, it's me, Ringo." "R-Ringo?! This is perfect! I wanted to say how sorry I am to you for what I have done. Can you... accept my apology?" "Apology accepted." "W-wait, what…? But, Ringo… how can you be so forgiving now? I killed your dad without hesitation… for completely selfish reasons too. Why the hell are you not angry with me still...? Please…! I need a logical explanation for this. Why...?" "Because, I heard that you absolutely pleaded for forgiveness from Yui." "F-from who?!" "From Dave, who originally had heard it from Ex." "... Hahaha… I see, that makes sense…" It was at this point, I started to hear Dave's voice. "Tee, in case if you still feel like you can't be forgiven, drop that feeling." "H-huh? Dave?" "It is of my firm belief that if you truly are sorry for wrong doings of yours from the past… you should be given a second chance." "A second chance… You mean it?" "As long as we consider each other friends, and you protect Ringo whenever I can't... absolutely. I can tell that you love it when you are a part of the crew. Your entire way of life is in balance while being a part of it. I'm glad that your time in the cell has been lightened. It's proof that you are human, and that's good. Here's something valuable to learn, Tee… When a person commits a sin that other people deem as forgivable, it's part of moral code for them to forgive and forget. People can't stay mad at each other forever, even if hatred runs deep. It's just how it goes in the human nature of things. Isn't that right?" " U-um… I honestly don't know what to say. Dave, can you guys still trust me?" "Yes, of course. If you're sincere, then definitely, Tee." "***sob***" "T-Tee? Is… everything okay?" "N-no… it's not! It feels like you are forcing yourselves to like me again. I don't deserve this kindness so soon… not for what I have done! I want to end things for myself, so no one else has to suffer because of me." "W-wait, what are you doing, Tee?!" "I have made my decision…" "No, don't do this to yourself!" "Goodbye, Dave…" "TEE!" I didn't listen to the pleas from Dave. I wanted to kill myself and end the cycle of sin and hatred involving me. I planned on bashing my skull into the wall as hard as I could. "Hold on, Tee! ... Please, listen to me... don't go and commit suicide. Yes, you have done plenty of wrong things… and we hated you for them. However, you still have a long life ahead of you. There's still plenty of time to right the wrongs you have made and forge a path of good. Besides, how are we going to be able to understand O in full without you? You are the only one here that knows for certain what he says. And… what would Yui think of you committing suicide?" Ex pleaded to me. "Y-Yui…?" I thought back to when I last saw her.

_That's when I apologized to her… __***sigh* **__What am I thinking? I can't kill myself… That would just be me running away from the people who are trying to forgive me. _"... He stopped…?" I heard Ex quietly mumble to himself. "Dave…" I spoke into the phone again. "T-Tee? Did… you stop?" "Yes… I did. I still need to show Yui that I can be a good guy. I'm… not going to look down on myself anymore." "Yes, that's right. Forget what you have done and make amends." "Thank you, Dave. You may have been the reason how you got me to be bad, but you got me out of that. I respect you once more and I can assure you that I won't turn on any of you... ever again. And, I'm sorry about when I told you to go to Hell. You're not a monster, you're a hero. Can I… talk to Ringo please?" "Sure, and thanks for telling me that, man. Ringo, Tee's calmed down and he wants to talk to you again." I heard him calling for her name as I waited. _She must have been worried that I WOULD commit suicide…_ "Tee…" "I know, I'm sorry about considering suicide a moment ago, Ringo. I promise you this: As a wish of Dave's, if he's not around to protect you, I will. I'll be the best friend that I can be to you, alright? And... I won't butt in your relationship with him anymore, or be creepy. I realize that you have your own feelings and such. I also acknowledge that I shouldn't attempt to perform sexual-heavy actions without a proper girlfriend. I was being selfish and unjust… I'll wait for the right time and find romantic love, not sexual desire for the sake of sexual desire… That's all I wanted to say to you, Ringo." "Looks like you've finally learned to be yourself again. I'm proud of you and I hope you can get that assistant captain position back, Tee." "Me too. Goodbye, Ringo. Tell Dave that I'm hanging up now." "Of course, bye!" I hung up and gave Ex his phone back. "It seems like you are now satisfied with everything, Tee." "Yes, indeed." "I can give you your position back on the crew when the sentence is done." Ex started to walk away from me. "W-wait, Ex." "Hm?" "What's Yui going to do when I'm back?" "That's… a good question, Tee. I like her as my adopted daughter, but… I would want her to be able to do something for the team. The issue is though, every role is taken already." "... Hold on, not EVERY role has been taken…" "Huh? What do you mean by that?" "What did Zed do before he was destroyed, Ex?" "...! Zed was a caretaker! He protected us from danger many times in the past. Of course! Why didn't I think of this? Brilliant idea, Tee! I'm sure Yui will love it. This won't ask so much of her and it'll be vital to the crew. With her psychokinesis, it'll be a natural job for her. Heh. I'll be going now to tell her." "Bye, Ex." I waved to him and I sat back down in the cell.

**Yui's POV**

I saw my father come to mine and Ess' room. "F-Father! You're back already?" "Yeah… things didn't turn up too well, Dave got sick as soon as he ate this stuff called sushi. He passed out in mere seconds after swallowing it." "What's sushi?" "It's apparently a form of raw fish. As it turned out, Dave's body really hated that… all because of foreign bacteria and viruses. For three days and two nights, he was hospitalized. He recovered surprisingly quickly when he woke up on the third day. I don't think that's natural though…" Before Father was able to say anything else, we heard a familiar voice. "That's because it wasn't, Ex." And there, I saw him behind my father. "Satan?!" He jumped. "Sheesh, calm down… I didn't mean to scare you. Anywho, Dave's recovery was not natural because an unexpected visitor came by in that hospital during the second night of him being there." Satan told him. I began to listen to the conversation in silence. "What in the-?! Who?!" "Witch." "Wait, her? First of all, why? And secondly, how the hell did she even find him, Satan?" "Initially, she wanted to deliver _"punishment" _to Dave for telling one of his friends about something involving just him and her." "What was this thing?" "Ex, Witch tried to seduce him after she fixed up his dragon form." "Huh?! Y-you're kidding me!" "I'm not. If you're wondering how she knew about Dave ratting her out... she keeps tabs on him." "Like a stalker?!" "Essentially." "How big is the age difference between them then?" "They're three years apart from each other. Dave is seventeen, and Witch is twenty." "That's not too bad… but still, a bit of a discrepancy if you ask me… … I need to have a talk with her, where does she live?" "H-hold on, don't be rash, Ex!" "I have to do this now, Satan. I don't care if she helped Dave recover faster... I just want her to leave him alone with this whole thing. If I don't do it now... she WILL find the time to whisk Dave off somewhere, and do God knows what to him. I can't leave a friend like him behind, I want Dave to be safe… ... I'm sorry, Yui. I have to go and resolve this issue like an adult before it can get out of hand, okay?" Father turned to face me. I hugged him tightly to wish him luck. "Just do whatever you need to do, Father." I said to him. "I will." He promised.

**Ex's POV**

I waved goodbye to Yui and urged Satan to take me to wherever Witch was. He reluctantly took me there after a sigh was made. "Here we are, Ex… her house." "She lives here…?" "Well, she IS one of those kinds of people... so it should come as no surprise." "Alright… I'm mentally preparing myself. Like you basically said, this could get a little ugly." "No shit! We don't know what she'll try to do if she finds out that we are aware of this." "It shouldn't be too bad, I'm very strong as the Dimensional Dragon Warrior. She won't get far from us if she tries to book it for Dave." "Actually… she may be on par with you…" "What? No way, Satan. What can she possibly do to me?" "Ex, this is serious! She can summon meteor showers at WILL." "Wh-what…? Uh, can you say that again for me?" "***sigh*** A good chunk of Witch's magic allows her to manifest objects and forces from outer space, like meteors. I'm pretty sure you know that those aren't just rocks and stuff, since you are the captain of a starship and all. I'm worried about this going horribly wrong... because when I encountered Count Vyle for the first time since he kidnapped Rulue, he said that I had grown soft. Basically, he was aware of me losing power over time. My strength is still fine, just not god-like now. In fact, your power exceeds mine considerably with that golden armor of yours." "That's not a good sign then…" "This is why I am suggesting that we should be careful." "Alright, I get you… Should we come up with a plan first?" "No." "Why not?! You're saying that we should be careful, so wouldn't an idea be better than being rash?" "It's marginally better, but not optimal. We can't afford to spend time when we don't know at what point she'll strike at Dave. Let's just come up at the door and talk to her inside, as though we don't have any knowledge of the thing. We might be able to catch her off guard more easily with this when the time is right." "So we have to improvise a topic to discuss with her..." "Whatever it takes… we have to bluff our way through. I'll have something prepped as we do so. Hopefully, she doesn't notice it right away." "I suppose so, Satan." We came up at the door and I knocked. Witch came to open it and see us. She seemed surprised that I was here, probably because I was no longer in Japan. Of course, I knew that she wouldn't say anything about that because it would be revealed to me. At this point, Witch thought I was unaware of what happened. "O-oh, Satan and Ex! What brings you two here today?" She asked us. I could tell that she was worried about being found out, just from the way she looked about. "Uh, we came to talk to you about how your break has been, Witch." Satan bluffed. "Oh, is that so? Well, come in." She gestured. I realized that she appeared more composed. _Good, it looks like she's becoming ensnared in our trap. I need to keep her occupied with something… _"C'mon, sit and relax." She suggested. We sat down and began our _"talk" _with her.

"My break so far has been decent. I mean, I had to grade leftover stuff… but not bad at all. So, Ex… I've heard that you had been training Dave, one-on-one. How has that gone as of late?" She wondered. "Oh, um… it's been fun. The boy's power is incredible… although a bit on the limited potential side. He still has a good way to go before he masters his power. I've heard that you're the one who fixed up his dragon form. How was the experience on his side?" I passed a question back to her. "His experience? … Well... he was screaming a bunch, since the method was pretty painful. Dave passed out from the shock of it." She said. "Dave passed out, huh? Well, at least he didn't die." I manufactured a chuckle. I looked at Satan for a split second to see that he had this ball of energy forming behind him. _I need to buy him more time for whatever that is. _"What happened after that?" I continued. "A-after that? Wh-why are you asking about that? Nothing really happened after he passed out, I just brought him back to the classroom when he woke up." She lied. _Of course she would be lying about that… _"Really? Why are you stuttering with your words then?" I pointed out. "Th-that's just because you surprised me by asking that question, Ex." Witch attempted to dodge my question. "Ex, I believe that there is more to this than she lets on." Satan came into the chat. I could tell that he was now ready since he jumped in. "Yes, I think she's hiding something from us…" I went along. "Wh-what do you mean?" She became uneasy. "The truth is, Witch… we know what happened during the time that Dave was passed out. You took the opportunity to play with his body, then went in to seduce him when he woke up. We also know that you came to Japan to _"punish" _the boy when he ratted you out. But, when you saw that he was sick.. you gave Dave some kind of pill to make him recover faster." Satan revealed that we knew. "H-how?! How do you know this?!" She tensed up. "Just like how you monitor Dave, so do I. I'm like a guardian angel to him since he is a demon. So today, I told this all to Ex when he said how unnaturally fast Dave recovered. And now, we'll not allow you to go around and do as you please! Dark Imprisonment!" He threw the dark energy at Witch, successfully trapping her inside. "Awesome, we got her!" I became glad. "Ex…! This won't last! We... need to get Witch inside of a better containment area, but I don't know of anything that'll do the trick! Do you know of something that WILL work?" He demanded. I panicked and began to think on the clock.

_Okay, not a whole lot of time. What can we use to help us keep Witch contained?! … … Wait… it's not an object that we need, it's another person! _"Satan, I think I might know. We need to get into the thick of Primp Town!" "What?! Why Primp, Ex?!" "Just trust me, I know who to come by and ask for help!" We dashed out of the house and I engaged my gold armor, allowing me to fly. We flew around for a while and I saw Amitie. Witch had been squirming in that darkness for that time before that, trying to break herself free. "Excellent! I need Amitie to tell me where Accord is." I insisted on Satan to stay where he was while I went to ask. "Amitie! Over here!" I called as I came down. "E-Ex?! Uh… do you need something?" "Yes, this is urgent. Where does Ms. Accord live? … If you know that is..." I requested her to show me. "Oh! Just go down a couple of blocks from here, then make a right. Here, I'll show you!" She began to run. "A-Amitie! Wait for me!" I went after her and gestured for Satan to follow me. "There." She pointed. "Thank you, Amitie." I bowed. She then left to go somewhere else. My armor faded on command from me and I knocked on the door. Accord opened the door to see me standing on the porch. "Ex? Whatever could you be doing here today?" "Ms. Accord… I think you need to know what I'm about to tell you." I told her about the antics that Witch had been doing. "My, she has been rather naughty, hasn't she? I'll have to scold her extensively. So, where is she?" "Satan is holding her in with his uh… _"Dark Imprisonment"_. Hey, Satan! You can come down here now." I waved. "Ugh… this is really straining on me. I used to be able to do this for at least a day, but now it can't even last for fifteen minutes." He panted. "Don't worry, I can take it from here." Accord assured him. "M-M-Ms. Accord?!" Witch trembled. "You have been disobedient, Ms. Witch. You should not go around and seduce my students… certainly not Dave. He is my strongest student, after all. I do acknowledge that you helped him control his dragon form, but that still does not excuse you from the attempted seduction. Therefore, you shall be scolded and whatnot accordingly. Do you understand? As an instructor: It is your job to help students with things they struggle with in school and not get involved with their personal lives. Only care for the student's success and make sure that they can achieve it. That's what teaching is all about, and don't say anything to the contrary. Correct?" She told her. All that Witch could do was whimper in fear. _Honestly, I would be scared too if I was in a similar position. Ms. Accord really knows how and when to be intimidating... _Accord's cat came by to hold Witch by the paw after he grew in size."Anyway, thank you for helping us." I shook her hand. "Oh no, thank you. Ex, you and Satan did the right thing by coming to me. How did you find me though?" "Amitie led us here. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have had enough time to keep imprisoning Witch." "I see. ***giggle* **Amitie has been a good girl for as long as I have known her. Well, it looks like I now have some business to take care of." Accord entered her house once more and closed the door. "Phew… I'll be heading back to the Puyo Underworld, Ex. I need some rest after doing that. Damn… I feel like I'm getting weaker with each passing day and I don't know why." Satan told me. "Alright then, do so." I nodded. He left and so did I, going back to the Tetra.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** **Dave and Ringo enjoyed their day back home... talking, cuddling, and singing. Dave thinks of the idea for Ringo to talk with Tee over the phone. He called Ex to be granted permission to do so. Tee believed that what he had done couldn't be forgiven, then Ringo snapped him out of it. He was satisfied with the outcome, then hung up to give Ex his phone back. Ex alerted the news to Yui, but that was cut short with Satan appearing. He said to him that Witch popped a pill into Dave's mouth when he was hospitalized, as well as what she did to him after his dragon form was fixed up. The two go to have her contained, then Ex brilliantly had Satan hand Witch over to Accord. All came in to be good... however, the break was far from over. What else would Dave, Ringo, and the rest of the cast do during this period of time? Next chapter, Chapter 40: Hearing Secrets.**


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40: Hearing Secrets**

**Dave's POV**

We felt pretty good after coming to positive terms with Tee. I felt like I had everything resolved, but then I remembered. _Oh yeah… Lemres was probably wondering where we were for the time that we left. I might want to pay him a visit. _"Hey, Ringo?" "Yeah? What is it now, Dave?" "Lemres might've come to see us while we were gone. He didn't know about the short-lived trip we had. I want to go and see how he's been holding up." "How though? We can't travel to Primp on our own." "... Oh." The thought of that made me feel defeated. As I was going to sigh, someone knocked on the door. "Hm? Who can that be?" Ringo wondered. She opened the door, revealing Lemres at the other side. "Well, THIS is oddly convenient… I wanted to see how you were doing, Lemres." I came by. "Huh… So did I, Dave. Where were ya guys? You've been gone for a couple o' days… and on a break no less." He asked us. "Lemres… we kinda left for somewhere without telling you anything." Ringo told him. "Without tellin' me what? … Did ya guys hide somethin' from me?" He pried. "Dude, I'm sorry, I really am… I had a good reason to leave you out from it." I apologized. "I'm sure you did, man. I know ya too well… Where'd ya go?" He wondered. "Remember when we were at Ris' place and I brought up the game name _"Isekai Prison"_, Lemres?" Ringo reminded him. "Oh yeah… you said that isekai was a word in this language called Japanese, right?" He recalled. "Mhm. We went to the place in this world where that language comes from." She nodded. "And that would be Japan… Yeah, I remember the exchange of words clearly now." He put two and two together. "As for the reason, dude…" I began to explain the Japanese customs to him. "Ah, I see now... My shtick would've been considered rude, or not proper over there. I understand everythin', and I see why ya didn't include me. Although, I still wish that we coulda had fun together." Lemres had accepted the fact that he mostly could have been a detriment to us. "It wasn't too much fun anyway because Dave became sick from just taking a bite of this sushi stuff. We planned on staying in Japan for longer than two or three days, but then that happened... " Ringo told him. "Shiiit, really? Is he fine now?" He looked at me. "Yeah, I'm fine, Lemres. That piece of raw fish completely knocked me out within seconds." I assured him. "Oh… it was raw fiiish… Okay, that makes quite a bit o' sense. But… if you were affected by it so much, how are ya standin' already, Dave?" He realized. "Honestly… I don't know. I guess I just got lucky with recovery…?" I shrugged. "That wasn't luck, Dave." Another voice came by. "Hm?" I heard.

I darted my eyes to see where that voice was coming from. "Satan?" Ringo figured it out. "Yes. I'm not with you currently, but I wanted to say what needs to be said." He insisted. "What needs to be said?" I scratched my head. "A pill made you recover faster... I found this out after seeing it, late during the second night of you lying in a hospital bed." He brought to light. "Huh?!" Me and Ringo reacted. Ms. Ando came into the room, hearing Satan's voice as well. "A pill…? But, that's impossible… No one came by that night. Otherwise, I would have noticed." She shook her head. "This visitor was invisible to the naked eye at the time, but I was able to still see her. And, she was veeeery quiet." Satan said. "_"She"_? I dunno know if I like where this is going… ***gasp*** Don't tell me… it's Witch, isn't it?" My brain came to the realization. "Correct, Dave. How did you figure that out?" Satan seemed genuinely surprised, from the tone of his voice. "Before I got sick, I guessed that there was a good chance that Witch would be stubbornly hunting for me after I talked to Feli at the airport from here. Question is though, why did she decide to help me?" I answered his question. "Wait, Dave… What is this all about?" Ringo looked at me. "Yeah, what's been goin' on with you and that instructor?" Lemres agreed to ask me too. "... Jesus, one at a time please… This might be something that is hard to accept as the truth, guys." I felt pressured. "Look, no matter what it is, I'll still be with you." Ringo took my arm. "Th-thanks, Ringo." I blushed. I explained that Witch did those things while Lemres was watching the potions class for her. "So, that's what she did with ya… innocently making your dragon form work properly, then tryin' to seduce ya, even though the age gap… ... All happenin' in Draco's house no less." Lemres seemed to be weirded out and rightfully so. "Hmph. What a crazy woman… I'll have to give her a piece of my mind!" Ringo became worked up. "That… won't be necessary, Ringo. Witch is already undergoing proper punishment as we speak, thanks to Ms. Accord. With that, she shouldn't bother you anymore after that is finished." Satan told her. "A-are you serious…?" I questioned. "Hey, don't thank me… thank Ex. I told him about this and he wanted to do something about it. As a team, we were able to bring Witch to Accord, so that you could be safe. Because after all, Witch had no grounds for punishing you at all. You were in the right the whole time." He added. "That's nice of him to do that, and yeah… She blackmailed me as an attempt to have things remain silent. It was lucky that Feli saw Witch being hostile towards me during what was left of that class." I nodded. "There's still one thing that I don't get… if Feli and Draco BOTH knew what was going on too… why didn't they say anything to me." Ringo wondered why. "Well… uh, I can imagine Draco just forgot about it while we were in Japan. And, Feli just kinda shook it off... only wanting me to spend quality time with her on the plane, saying that she'll beat Witch up if she showed." I explained logically. "At any rate, it looks like that cleared everything up... we all now know." Ms. Ando smiled. "Well actually, not everyone is informed… Arle and Amitie are still unaware of that." I brought up those two. "Oh yeah…" Everyone else sighed. "I'll go see those two then… Lemres, can you take me to Primp?" I asked him. "Sure, buddy." He nodded. "Wait, I'm coming with you!" Ringo slipped her shoes on. "R-Ringo?" I was surprised. "C'mon, it'll be faster if we both talk to one of them on our own." She planned. "O-okay…" I was fine with her plan. Satan told everyone that he had to rest, so his voice faded. Lemres took us through a portal leading to Primp Town.

We came to the middle of Primp, where it was packed. "Wow, there's a lot of people walking around here today." I noticed. "Duh. It's Fall Break, 'course peeps are gonna be walkin' in the town more than usual, Dave. Anyway, I'll be here when you wanna go back to Suzuran." Lemres sat down on a bench. "Dave, I'll go and tell Arle. Meanwhile, you find Amitie." Ringo told me. "Very well." I nodded. _I still need to figure out what Amitie was hiding from me, so this will be a good chance._ I decided it would be best to see where she could be from the air. I flew about for some time before seeing her in my view. "Great! I can see her now. ... Amitie, can we talk for a few minutes?" I approached her and landed. "Dave? What are you doing here?" She turned around. I landed and told her what she needed to know. At this point, my armor was gone."Icky… At least she's locked away now, so that's good, right?" "Yeah… Hey, Amitie… there was something else that I wanted to discuss. You hugged me so tightly before we prepared to leave Japan. You said that it was from how happy you were, however… I didn't get that impression. It felt… more than just happiness. I don't see it as a lie, but… … You're hiding something from me and I want to know what it is." "... ***sigh* **Can you please keep this a secret from our friends for the time being, Dave? I'll say when it's the right time to reveal it." "Uh… okay, what is it then?" Amitie slowly breathed in and out, like she was trying to repel stress and anxiety. "I… No. Despite everything that has happened, Dave… I think I love you. And no, I'm not just forcing out feelings, I actually feel this way. Each time that you woke up or regained consciousness from something dangerous... I worried for your safety. Sooner or later, something might kill you. Heck, if it weren't for Witch's sudden decision to pop a pill into your mouth… you might've been dead. I don't wanna lose you, Dave! ***sob*** ... I admire your sheer strength and will to protect others… ***sniff*** … But please, don't be too selfless! We all need to protect each other and live together. You don't have to shoulder the burden all to yourself, or divide it equally with Ex. We can fight too…" "... But, Amitie… I've seen how all of you perform, even Lemres. None of you have the raw power that me and Ex both wield." "***sniff* **Then I'll just get some of those dragon stones for the rest of us." "Amitie… dragon stones are rare, they aren't just produced like candy. Plus, I don't even know where to look for one if I wanted to..." "Dave, I wanna get strong, like you. Who's gonna protect Lidelle when she's cornered and doesn't know what to do?! ***sob***" "...! I-I…" "I'll train as hard as you if that's what it takes, teach me some hand-to-hand techniques!" "A-Amitie… … ... Alright, you win. I don't like seeing girls cry, especially ones that I care for. About your confession…" "***sniff* **Yes…?" "I'll accept your love, come here if you're actually okay with it." "D-Daaaaaaave! Uwaaaaaaaahahaha!" She continued to cry with a mix of emotions as she wrapped her arms around me. Amitie's hat had fallen down from the force of her coming to me. "It's okay… I'll be with you until the very end, Amitie…" I stroked her hair. Five minutes later, she stopped crying and let go of me. "Your hair is pretty, Amitie..." I complimented her. "M-my hair? Pretty? ***sniff* **It looks too much like bed hair though…" "It fits your look…" "... And... you're handsome, Dave..." She went in for a kiss. It was as she said… her love was legitimate_. I can't believe it… To think, she once saw deep love as a disgusting act. Now, she only sees it as gross if there is an obvious age gap. Now that I think about it, we're not that far apart. After all, Feli's fifteen and she's perfectly fine with the harem relationship. It should be okay with Amitie too._ "Amitie, thank you for the kiss. I'll teach you some things when I get the chance to, but first… I have to text Ringo that I'll be staying here for a while today. Is that alright?" "Okay..." I watched her pick up her hat from the ground and she placed it on her head again.

By the time that Ringo had texted me back, she mentioned that she finished telling Arle and began to wait by Lemres' side. Ringo was somewhat annoyed by my action, judging from the way that her words were structured. In the end though... she gave me the okay, without knowing why I wanted to stay. Finally, Ringo told me that she would go back to Suzuran on her own after Lemres would open up a portal for her. "Alrighty… now we have time to train you up. Let's find a suitable place to do so. Hrrah!" I brought up my strong armor. "That thing never becomes boring to look at…" "Hop on board, I'll carry you." "W-will you keep me on the entire time?" "Don't worry, you won't fall off of me, Amitie. There should be some solid parts of the armor to latch on to. And, I'll go slow if you feel it's needed." "S-sure…" She climbed on my back and I carefully flew us up in the air. "See? This isn't so bad... Ever since I first flapped my wings in the wind, I didn't feel scared of controlling my own altitude. I've been improving my calmness after that day passed. Ms. Rulue taught me to be a tough individual. I may not have an uncrackable mind like hers, but my aforementioned selflessness allows me to overcome certain fears. And guess who was able to have me do so… Go ahead, say it." "Me…!" "That's right! My selfless nature is part of the optimism you gave me a few months ago. Remember that, Amitie? When we faced Klug's criminal father? I was at death's door after he struck me hard. That's when you, Klug, Sig, Arle and such saved my life. Sure, having wisdom, demon and dragon power, and hope were all nice, but… your optimism was what tied all of it in place. Think about it for a second: Optimism develops inspiration, which in turn, makes anything stronger. With that as your strong suit, your potential is undoubtedly great. I now believe you have what it takes to be on par with me. Getting there is going to be difficult though, so prepare yourself." "I-I will…" "Hm… I suppose the forest of Primp is an option, let's go there."

I had us land in a random area of it soon enough. "Dave, are you sure that this is a good spot?" "Of course. There are trees to whack at, rocks to break, and all of that good stuff. So, as a starter… let's have you be able to knock trees down. First, we need to find a dead tree." "Why a dead one?" "For two reasons: One, the roots will be weaker than that of a live tree. Two, there's no reason to practically kill live ones. We all need that oxygen to come from somewhere. Do the forest a favor and deroot the dead trees. That way, new ones can have room to grow." "Dave... what are you, a science teacher?" "Amitie, I'm just stating facts for the sake of what I'm trying to teach you. Thankfully for us, there are a couple over there to start with. Now, watch this. Hyyah!" I launched myself and kicked a tree's trunk, causing it to tip over. ***crash*** "Wow..." Amitie witnessed in awe. "Liked that, didn't you?" "That was incredible, Dave." "Heh. That was nothing." "But… how am I going to knock down trees this big?" "Here's a simple answer, you won't." "Huh? Then… what is the purpose of this?" "Amitie, you'll kick a tree down, just not a big one. I'll have you start with a smaller one, then you can work your way up from there. This will take quite a few dedicated days, so don't worry if you don't get it down right away. I'm not gonna rush you through this because it would make everything half-assed." "And… we don't wanna make everything half- … -because it's important to train me properly." "Hm? Amitie, why did you cut part of your own statement off?" "... The truth is… I don't like to swear when it's not needed. It's… just not like me to say bad words. I've certainly heard a bunch of them ever since I was little, but I was always afraid of using them on other people. I'm too passive as a girl for that. I never know what people's reactions to them could lead to, so I just usually don't ever swear. I wanna be nice to the people of Primp Town, and bad words are anything but nice." "Lemme get this straight… you are like how I was a few years back." "... Huh?" "Here, I'll tell you a story… Once upon a time, I was a mere high school freshman back in my world. I was still adapting to the level of garbage that it threw at me. I wasn't bullied though... In fact, I was respected by the majority of students from my grade. They actually saw that I was a nice and cool person that would never cause trouble. Even still, however... quite a few of those same people caused problems for themselves and others too." "What the heck? They learned that you were good, but they couldn't bother to fix their own person?" "Nope. … Well, they EVENTUALLY became better students, causing far less issues… but not during that year. Anyway, these students got into trouble often, mostly because they simply found the wrong time to swear. The purpose of swearing in my eyes is to talk casually with friends in a suitable place at the highest level." "Uh… what does that mean?" "It means that you don't have to bottle up the use of _"bad words" _all the time. And really, ever since I started, I haven't felt like a scummy teen for that. I was able to talk freely while I was with my former friends and be myself. For someone who is as kind as me, I still drop those terms often. Really, unless if you're talking to a stranger... you generally shouldn't have anything to fear when swearing. Does that all suffice, Amitie?" "Well… if you think it's okay only dropping them while with friends, then I guess I don't have much of a problem now. I can vent my actual feelings about certain things to the people I befriend. Thank you so much, Dave! I'm still not too fond of using bad words, but you helped me see a new side to them." "Uh, s-sure. At any rate, time to search for a small tree… …! There's one right there! Just remember, you're not being rushed… so no pressure." "Okay." I observed Amitie's movements of looking for a good place to strike.

_Let's see how she fares with this first test…_ "Hyyyyyy-! -oooouch!" She managed to snap the tree's trunk, but not without getting hurt in the process. "! Amitie! Are you alright?" "... It hurts…" "... This is fine, the pain is natural. The more that you do stuff like this, the less it'll hurt." "I… I did it?" "Yeah. You might have gotten hurt, but this was still a success. Good job." I spent the rest of the afternoon with Amitie, training her under my wing. "Phew. I… I think I'm done for today, Dave…" "You did great, Amitie… you really did. I'll take you back home if you want." "I would love that…" I flew her back with her until she urged me to land. "I can walk back the rest of the way by myself. Thank you for everything, Dave." She hugged me soon after. "Sure, stay safe!" "I promise!" She left as I waved her goodbye. "And there she goes… What time is it? Argh, I can't check right now since I'm in this armor. I'll do so when I get back to Lemres." I flapped my way back to where he should have been. "Yo, that must've taken ya quite a while. What have you been doin', Dave?" "Oh nothing much, just exploring more of the town. I don't get much in the way of opportunities to do so." I casually lied. "Hm, yeah… that does make sense. Want me to bring ya back to Suzuran now?" I looked at my phone to see the time. _5 P.M., huh? That's not too bad. _"I would like that, Ringo gets irritated when I return very late." "Hahaha! I know she's like that, Ringo loves ya. So yeah, let's have ya go." He made the portal and I jumped in it. I returned home just in time for dinner. Ringo was still energetic and came in for a kiss. "***chuckle* **Ringo… did you miss me that much already?" "Dummy, you should know that I love you by now. And... it's dumb how we haven't had a proper date yet…" "O-oh… Um… that's weird… We should maybe have one scheduled somewhere this week." "Of course, silly. And, it'll be the best damn date ever. Let's eat already." "Yeah." The rest of the night was tranquil and I enjoyed it. Me and Ringo were playful in the shower, we expressed our love, and cuddled in my bed. The sleep was wonderful, to put it simply. The next morning came with Ringo waking me up, having me see that she had my hand on her pants. "H-huuuuuuh? …!" I jumped a little. "C'mon, Dave… it's just my body, you've touched it plenty of times by now." "That's… not my issue, Ringo. You placed my hand there without me being aware. Were you trying to get early morning pleasure from me…?" "It feels good, so why not? Girls don't have the downside that guys do. We can just get off all the time if we wish. With you, it's one and done and you have to make it count. You said that to me a while back when we were in the shower together." "Right… I did say that. Any plans today?" "Nope. I guess we can have that date then…" _That might prove to be a problem for me... I want to continue helping Amitie. Oh well… I suppose one day off isn't going to ruin the training I devised for her. _"Okay, Ringo. I've never been through a full date before, so this could be fun. I just don't know what we can do." "I think I have at least one thing in mind, Dave." "You do? What?" "Be patient, my sexy boyfriend… I'll show you when we get to it." Ringo smirked and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. But, I had always placed my trust in her before, so I didn't think of this as different. Breakfast was just as good as yesterday's and Ringo whisked me off before I could say much else. "R-Ringo… there's no need for a rush, there's plenty of time." "Dave, I want us to be able to have fun for as long as possible. And to do that… we need to get to our destinations quickly." I didn't know what she was talking about, but I decided to roll with it.

**Feli's POV**

Things remained stagnant without Dave and Lemres. I had Bal by my side, but he wasn't enough to keep me feeling like myself. _Why don't I just come and see Dave? I have the ability to if I use Lemres. But that's just it though… it's tedious getting that guy since he's so laid back all the time._ _***sigh* **__Fuck it. I want joy and excitement. _"Bal, I'll be heading out, be a good boy." "***bark***" He barked a single time, telling me that he promised. I slipped my shoes on and left to go see Lemres. "Hehehehehe… I'm gonna love this. It's been a while since I've let my crazy side take over me like this… Time to get some pleasure." I came to Lemres' house, where I discovered that he wasn't there. "Huh? That's odd… Where would Lemres be at this time?" I walked around town for about an hour and there was still no sign of him. "Where the hell is he? Lemres should have told me he'd go somewhere, but he didn't. ***sigh* **What the fuck?" I decided to sit on a bench and take a break. For five minutes, nothing had happened until someone came to talk to me. "Um, excuse me, miss?" I heard a voice and looked up to see the source, a girl with wings. "What is it?" I asked. "I was looking for a girl named Feli, do you know where I can find her? A guy named Lemres said that she could help me." "U-um, I would be the very girl that you're looking at right now." "O-oh! So you're Feli, I see." "Who are you and what do you need from me?" "I'm Harpy, an angel!" "A-an angel?" "Not just an angel, a singing angel! Do you wanna hear my lovely voice?" "Sure… I guess." "Yippee! … Ha-ra Ho-re Hi-de~!" _What in the-! This singing voice of hers is horrendous! Shit! I need to make her stop! _"H-hold up! You said that you needed me and you have yet to tell me why!" "-re-! Oh… ... Okay, I was wondering if you know a mermaid that goes by the name Serilly. You see, I'm looking for her because she is a friend that I care about. Serilly's been missing for about a couple of months or so." "So wait, you were looking for me, hoping that I would know this mermaid? Sorry, but I've never heard of her, Harpy. Are you two from around here?" "No, we come from another world." "Uh, is there anybody that you knew from that world besides Serilly? I might know them and they could help you." "Um… … Oh, I know! Do you know a mage called Arle?" "I… do. I could take you to her, she's lived near Primp Town for a few years now." "Huh, so is that what this place is? It's busy for just being a town, Feli." "Yeah, people like me get used to it. Let's go take you to Arle, I think I remember where she lives…" I took off, and Harpy followed behind me.

It was a good thing that I did indeed recall where Arle's house was. "Here we are… I'll knock." I approached the door. It opened, revealing a tired Arle. "***yawn* **Feli…?" She rubbed her eyes. "Woah… you don't look so good. Is everything alright in there…?" I became concerned. "It's nothing to get worried over... Schezo came into my house in the middle of the night and tried to take advantage of me sleeping. I woke up after I felt like I was being violated by something, then I noticed him. It didn't take too long for me to get him to run out screaming, with Carby by my side. But… that came at a cost, my sleep. I couldn't fall asleep for most of what remained in the night. And so, that's how I came to be tired. Now… did you want something?" "Arle, do you know this winged-girl named Harpy?" "I… I do. Why do you- ***yawn*** -ask, Feli?" "She's looking for a missing friend of hers named Serilly. We were hoping that you could help her out." "S-Serilly's nowhere to be seen?!" Arle seemed to have broken out of the tiredness feeling she had. _Woah! She isn't tired anymore? That seems to have woken her up. _"C'mon, Carby! We have a job to do!" She hurried in strapping her boots in place and leapt outside with the little guy. "Gu-gugu!" He screamed. "Arle…" Harpy came to her. "Don't worry, Harpy… I'll find Serilly, but not without a bit of help. I know just the person for covering a lot of ground. With the power of Puyos, Carby will have us travel to Suzuran. "Gu!" He managed to make a portal by utilizing Puyos. "I didn't know that he could do that, Arle! I've always seen him with you, but he never did much." Harpy became impressed. "Heh… It's something I had trained him to do from someone else, in case we ever get separated." Arle scratched her head. We zipped inside the portal, however, I couldn't help but feel like we were being followed. Soon, we came to Suzuran, just like that. "So Arle… who are we looking for?" Harpy asked with curiosity. "A guy called Dave, he has a power that allows him to fly. Plus, he has a lot of energy, so he won't become exhausted very easily." She replied. "D-Dave? I wanted to see him too, but for a different reason." I said. "***sigh* **Let me guess… it's because you want to display your love to him again, right?" Arle assumed. "Huh? Love?" Harpy looked at me. "I'm one of Dave's girlfriends, and he has two others." I told her. "A guy with three girlfriends? He must be very likable if he has a trio of girlfriends in total…" She smiled. Soon enough, we saw him and my mind went ahead and crashed like a machine. _Wh-what…? What are those two doing?_ "C'mon, Dave! Let's have some fun! ***giggle***" "S-slow down, Ringo…" We overheard. "Um… what are they-?" Arle stopped. "There's no doubt about it… Those two are on a date, and Ringo didn't bother to have me and Draco join in the fun! Ooooooh! When I get to them… I swear-!" My mouth was then covered. "Cool it, Feli…" I heard a familiar voice. "L-Lemres?!" My muffled voice came through. "What are you-?" Arle didn't finish her question. "Oh! It's that Lemres guy!" Harpy realized. "Lemres… did you follow us here?" I assumed. "Nope, but SHE followed ya." He pointed. "Heh… hehehe… Hi, Feli…" It was Draco. "Draco, I'm not in a good mood right now… and you should know why, since you've been behind us." I gritted my teeth. "Look, maybe…" She tried convincing me. "No. I don't care what reason Ringo has for doing this. I just want her to stop hogging him all to herself! We share Dave equally... Ringo shouldn't have special privileges just because she was his first girl!" I argued. "I agree with you, but they live together here. We can't just barge into their alone time, ya know?" Draco's words only brought me closer to my anger point. "All the more reason to get between them, Draco! Aren't YOU jealous that you can't sleep under the same roof as Dave?!" "I uh…" "Well? Are you?!" "Feli…" Draco looked sad and gave up trying to talk me back into sense. In retrospect, I should have listened to her, but I didn't. "We're going to watch those two, and if they do something that will drive me up the wall… I'm ending their date!" I decided. "But… what about trying to find Serilly?" Harpy started crying. "Aw… don't worry, Harpy. I'm sure this'll end soon, somehow." Draco calmed her.

**Dave's POV**

I was forced to endure the worst thing about dates… waiting for the girl to choose things. _Jesus! I know that girls are more known for having a sense of fashion, but this is unreal. Just. Choose. Already! Damn… I'm gonna have to wait on her like this for everything, am I? __***sigh* **__I don't understand things like this... If it looks good on you, then get it. I shouldn't have to stand and wait for what seems to be an eternity on you, Ringo. God, may you bring mercy to me…_ That hell eventually ended, which made me ecstatic for a brief moment. _Oooough… Thank God that it's over. I don't think I could have lasted through a few more minutes of that nightmare. Fuck… _"Yay! ***giggle* **Eh? Hey, are you okay, Dave? You don't look so happy..." "That's because only you had been having fun. This stuff wasn't enjoyable to me… Aren't dates supposed to be catered to both of the people who are in love, not just one of them?" "Did I… drop the ball with this?" "On my end... you did, Ringo. We have to do things that will make us both happy, that's the bread and butter of a date. Well… what do you want to do that I'll still like?" I thought my answer over carefully before I said anything. "Um… this may sound a little embarrassing, but is there a karaoke place around here? We could sing for fun with a bunch of random songs." "Karaoke huh? You know what… that could be great! Why didn't I think of this?" "If you're okay with the choice, then let's go! You lead the way." "Of course! ***giggle***" She took me by the hand and we ran. _This is wonderful… but, I feel like we're being watched. … Nah… it must be my imagination._ _I just wanna have the time of my life with Ringo._ We scoured the city for a karaoke location and we finally found one. Ringo got us a room for us to sing at our own leisure. "This place has quite the selection… a bunch of anime songs are here, Dave." "Huh… and these are all anime series that I've never heard of." "Well, you should expect that. You were originally from your respective world." "I guess, Ringo… I want to hear how good some of this sounds in my ears." "Fair enough." I wanted to pick ones that had a male and female duet, but it didn't seem like there were any. "Let's… take turns, Ringo... I can't find any duets here." "Same. I'll let you go first if you want." I selected my first song and rolled with it. I prefer starting with slower paced pieces of music. In my opinion, they're better for warming up than the fast ones. When I finished the song, my arms were enveloped in goosebumps. Ringo clapped to my performance and she took my place. "Let's see… Ooooooh~! This is a fun one!" She grinned. I sat as she made her performance.

While I listened to it, the whole experience felt like it was filled with hype. In other words, it was very energetic and fun. "Woo! I loved it, Ringo!" We continued going back and forth with turns until we were drained. "Alright, I think we're done here, Dave…" "Yeah. It was extremely fun while it lasted… I'll never forget this moment we shared together, Ringo." We kissed and left the karaoke place. Seconds later, I was grabbed by two pairs of hands and pulled from behind. "? W-woah!" I reacted. "Dave?" Ringo looked back at me. "We're not letting you go anywhere! We need you!" I heard a familiar voice. "D-Draco?!" I looked over to see. "And Feli, Arle, Lemres, and-! Wait… who's she?" Ringo noticed. "Okay… what the hell is going on here?" I asked them. They all told us what had been happening, even about Arle's failure to sleep the previous night._ l figured Schezo would do something like that… It looks like he still needs to be taught a lesson._ "So, Harpy… you mentioned that you were searching for a friend. Who is this friend?" I wondered. "Her name is Serilly." She answered. "S-Serilly?! I met her in the ocean back during the time in the Puyo Isles!" I recalled. "Huh…? Dave, what do you mean? When did you meet this Serilly?" Feli was confused. "Yeah… I don't remember seeing her there at all." Draco crossed her arms. "I… was alone at the time I met her, girls. Remember when we were on the beach and I had fled into the ocean? Draco, you started that whole thing where you wanted me to rub lotion on you." I turned to face her. "... Now that you're saying it… I think I remember. Yeah, you were so red in the face. You then dipped into the ocean to swim away." She recounted. "Yes. I was swept by the current and almost drowned. But… that was when Serilly saved me. She allowed me to breathe underwater for a bit of time. It was just enough time for Ex to find and have me resurface to the land." I nodded. "The ocean surrounding this Puyo Isles was where Serilly was?" Harpy pressed me. "Y-yes, is something the matter, Harpy?" I knocked back. "Serilly usually comes to be with me for a weekend at the end of every month… she hasn't done it lately. That's why I'm worried about her. Can you find her, Dave?" She rested her hands on one of my own. "I can't make any promises that she'll be found, but I will help you." I swore as much as I could hold my word. She didn't say anything, only smiled. "Dave, we can get to the resort island by using Carby to transport us. After that, you can carry me as you fly with Harpy and Draco." Arle told me. "Okay." I nodded to her. "Damn… it looks like I'll have to stay behind if that's the case." Feli frowned. "Feli, I'll keep you company. Dave, go and find Serilly for Harpy, just as you intend to do." Ringo made clear. "Me too. Some dude's gotta look after the girls for protection." Lemres opted to stay behind. "Of course, I always help anyone in need. Let's go, girls." I spoke my mind.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Secrets were revealed left and right in such a short span of time. Amitie tells her own to Dave, saying that she, for sure, loved him. He accepted her and promised that he would train her. Dave and Ringo go on a date during the next day, causing Feli to become irate when she finds out. Before that, she met a winged individual known as Harpy. Harpy told Feli that she was looking for Serilly because she was concerned about her well-being. Soon enough, Lemres, Arle, and Draco become involved in this too. When the time came that Dave and Ringo exited the karaoke place, Dave was grabbed by the group. He was told of the situation and wanted to help, since he knew where Serilly was. What will happen when they find the mermaid? Next chapter, Chapter 41: Water Pollution.**


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41: Water Pollution**

We almost zipped into a portal, but then I got a call from Jace. "Jace? What is it?" I answered. "Oh, thank God you picked up... It's a disaster, Dave!" He raised his voice in irritation. "What?! Tell me what happened!" "Okay. Remember when I came to you and agreed that something strange was going on with the school's staff? Well, me and Gilbert discovered a truth most disturbing." "What truth?" "Dave, the higher-ups are part of the criminals that are associated with Spy Gal-atea and Spy Queen! A while ago, they struck the ocean surrounding the Puyo Isles with this unknown substance, I need you over here now!" "Huh?! W-well, okay! Me and some friends of mine are already heading there because of another reason. I'm even more worried about it now because of what you just told me." "Alright, let's meet up, face-to-face and discuss more about everything in further detail. You sound like you also have a lot that you want to say to me." "Yes. We'll arrive as soon as we can, Jace!" I hung up on him soon after I said that. "What's going on now? Arle looked worried. "Dave, that was Jace, right? It sounded like an issue went down…" Ringo came back to me. "Guys…" I told everybody about what Jace found out. "I think my brain's gonna explode… I'm lost." Draco could not keep up with the information swarming in. I couldn't blame her, this was all a bit much. "To think, the school's been ran by a buncha scum-leveled criminals." Lemres frowned. "Damn straight! Argh! This pisses me off!" Feli lost her cool. "How did those guys not get found out until now?" Ringo wondered. "That doesn't matter now, we need to get over there. Wait here for us, Ringo, Feli, and Lemres." I said. "Gotcha!" They nodded. "Let's jump in the portal then, Carby can't keep this thing open for long!" Arle pointed out. We traveled to the Puyo Isles and everything was dark and stormy. "! What is this?" I reacted. "Dave, over here!" Jace threw his voice out. "Jace! Let's talk quickly before anything else can go awry." I told him. Me and him discussed what happened on my end. "You guys… are looking for a mermaid…? I've seen strange phenomenons around before, but… whatever. She's in danger then, because of the water. Look." He pointed. "Yuck, it looks murky." Arle grimaced. "Not just murky… I sense evil swirling in it, Arle. Shit-! ***sigh* **You guys stay here, I'll look for Serilly on my own." I suggested. "H-huh?! But… why?!" Draco insisted on me giving an answer. "Draco… It's too dangerous for the rest of you to come with me, that's why. Trust me, I know this is the case. Do me a favor and don't come after me... especially you, Harpy." I flew off with my dragon armor. It didn't take me too long to find Serilly, surprisingly. "...! Serilly!" She had been sitting on a visible rock formation, staring blankly off into the distance. "Serilly, say something!" "... …" "Serilly, don't you remember? It's me, Dave!" "..." "She's not saying anything… And, what's this gunk on her?" I reached in to touch her, but she suddenly swatted my hand away with hers. "This is my essence… don't clean it off." She said in an emotionless tone. "Serilly, this is not right! You're not yourself, remember who you are and who I am!" "Oh? I know full well that you are Dave, but I am not this _"Serilly"_. "Wh-what? Who the hell are you, and what have you done with her?!" "I am a dimensional being who has been controlling this poor fish-girl, with the very stuff that you see in the water." "What…?!" _Have the criminals and the dimensional beings been working together in cooperation? But… that doesn't make any sense. Dammit, this all so confusing! _"Don't think for even a second that you will break her out of my control, Dave. It is all inside her gills, since she is partially a fish." "If I can't break her from your control right now, then I'll find and kill you!" "How? I can be in a dimensional rift for all you know." "Bastard…!" I carried the controlled Serilly and took her back with me.

_It seems like my armor is protecting me from whatever this stuff is. _I came back to the others and Harpy was shocked. "S-Serilly!" She tried to fly to us. "Don't touch her! She's being controlled by that same junk we see in the water." I yelled as I placed the mermaid down. "What the hell is this?!" Jace panicked. "Wait… I've seen a similar thing to this years ago… Who's controlling Serilly, Dave?" Arle came to me. "I don't know the specifics, but the one controlling her is one of the dimensional beings… most likely the same ones Ecolo mentioned." I said to her as my armor disappeared. "***gasp* **I think I've figured out what these beings are! They were once a part of my world… but it was told, by legend, that they also existed in dimensional spaces near other worlds. Not the exact same, of course… but as long as the main being lived, more can be created. But… I thought that me, Rulue, and the like had destroyed it. I don't understand..." Arle recalled and pondered. "Who are _"they"_?" I wondered. "They're called… _"Yogs"_. Yogs are dimensional beings who solely exist for the purpose of causing chaos, no matter where it might happen. They do this by creating wicked seeds that produce smoke. I guess there's a bigger Yog out there than Yog Swartus… We need to find Rulue, Schezo, and Satan. This is a huge-ass problem…" She told me. "Say no more, Arly. I'm here to help, even in my current state." We heard. "Satan!" I saw him appear before us. "I'll take… um, Serilly back with me. Her body needs to be kept away from anybody else. ... Damn! I would have never imagined that Yogs would be a thing here! Different, but still… They are still Yogs at the end of the day. We cannot let these sons of bitches live! They'll spread into other dimensions if we don't kill them. Dave, contact Ex. You and him are the only ones who can defend Primp and Suzuran from this threat. Please let him know what's going on. Oh, and take out whatever is producing that stuff in the ocean. It seems similar to the wicked seeds that produce maddening smoke." He urged me. "Will do." I waved. Satan left with the controlled Serilly and I called Ex. "Ex, this is an emergency!" I told him to pick up Ringo, Feli, and Lemres from Suzuran with the Tetra. I also suggested that he should bring Amitie and her friends to help out too. I hung up soon after to wait around. "Arle, how did you stop these wicked seeds?" I asked. "Dave, Carby's beam was the only way to destroy them. To this day, I don't know why… but it's the one method that works." "...! Then, couldn't we have just used it on Serilly's body?" "No. Carby can't destroy the stuff, only the thing that makes it." "... I see. Fuck..." I dropped to my knees, feeling like I had failed to save the mermaid who once saved me.

"Dammit, Dave! Pull yourself together!" Draco's words hit me. "..." I became mute. "Dave… I know how you must feel, but you can't let that get to you. You're needed to save Primp and Suzuran from the Yogs, along with Ex." Arle pulled me up. "This is much information is far too confusing for me to take in now. I'll leave things in your hands, Dave. I need to go back and be with Gilbert." Jace brought up. "... Fine, go. You'll only get yourself in danger, Jace." I agreed. He left and we waited for a while. The Tetra popped in with every one of our peers and allies aboard. "Dave, everyone's in here!" Ex hollered as he opened the hatch. "Good! We'll come to you and give the low-down to everybody!" I returned the word. We flew up to the inside of the Tetra, and the hatch closed behind us. "This looks like a lotta trouble, Dave…" Lemres frowned. "Guys… I need to explain what's going on." I gave them a long-winded explanation, describing everything to them as simply as possible. "I can't believe it… there WERE Yogs here as well…" Rulue rolled her hands into fists. "This… is most concerning." Accord admitted. "The Yogs will likely be the toughest things that we will ever face for a long time. And, that's putting it lightly…" Ex forwarded. "Many of us don't even know what these Yogs look like… How will we know when we find one?" Feli wondered. "Yogs are basically giant floating eyeballs, you'll know when you see one." Arle described. "Giant-ass eyeballs, got 'chu." Lemres nodded. "Uh… where's Schezo, Lemres?" I asked him. "Dunno. Last time I saw him, he was complainin' that he lost his sword. He's still blamin' it on you." He shrugged. "Tch. It was his choice for him to recklessly attack Vyle. He should have realized that it was his fault. ***sigh* **We could have used him too if his sword was still intact…" I sat down. "Dave, I don't think the dark mage would have been much help to us anyway." Accord said. "How?" I raised an eyebrow. "My student, Schezo's sole power is that of dark magic. I heard from Satan that it doesn't affect Yogs, only making them stronger. Of course, I personally don't know that for sure… but, I would ought to trust those words." She told me. "Oh yeah, I remember this one time where Schezo fought a Yog alone and didn't do anything to it…" Arle remembered. "Welp, that sucks…" I slumped. "It might not be impossible for him to fight. He jus' needs somethin' more than the darkness. I've heard that it's possible to forge a blade with the strength of light and dark fused as one. Those two together are said to bring about a unique power. Nothin's concrete though, so only take these words with a grain o' sugar." Lemers stated. "I heard about that too… but, I figured it was only a rumor." Klug placed a hand on his chin. "...! If it's possible, then there should be an ore to smelt into that." I jumped. "Don't get your hopes up. Believe you me, I probably would've known what it was if it existed. As far as I know, it doesn't exist." Ex brought the mood down. "..." For ten seconds, no one said anything. "Ex, it seems that you don't know Primp Town and its surrounding areas well enough." A voice responded to his last remark. "Eh? Satan?" He looked around. "I am not with the rest of you, but I have been listening. Such an ore does indeed exist, and it'll be in our best interest if we make a sword for Schezo with that. But, some of us have to stay in the Puyo Isles to deal with the Yog. After all, we have a mermaid to save. By some, I mainly mean two… Dave and Ex. You are the only ones fit for taking it out alone at the moment." Satan directed his statement toward us. "I understand." Ex nodded. "..." I meanwhile, didn't say a word. "Hey, what about me, Satan?! I've dealt with a lot of Yogs years ago!" Arle spoke up. "Arly… I was just about to say that you'll be with those two as part of their support. Ms. Accord, Rulue, and… Lemres, you too. Everyone else: You will embark on a small journey to a tunnel outside Primp. There, you will go and find enough of the ore to smelt. You'll know when you find it, it's colored in a very special way. White and black fillings coat it by a decent amount." He replied and transitioned. "What?! But, I wanna help Dave!" Draco pleaded. " Us too, what the hell?!" Ringo and Feli pouted. "Look girls, I just think it's too dangerous for you three. At least Arly fought these things before." Satan sighed. "Then at least have me go with them! Satan, after you and I fused... a lot of your power stayed with me. I can feel it…" Ringo brought up. "Ah-! It's with you?! … Well, I guess it's yours now. Goddammit... I need to strengthen myself back to how I was before Dave came into our lives. I'm just about at my limit for now and need to rest. Fine, Ringo… you can go with them. Please, come back safely..." He informed us, then his voice faded. "Satan…" Rulue frowned. "Well, it looks like you're behind the controls, Ess. Transport everyone to the destination, wherever that may be." Ex said to her. "Take us to that island first, I feel an evil presence lurking somewhere there. I haven't pinpointed it beyond that, however… that might just be the Yog we're looking for." I pointed and requested. "And where a Yog rests, a wicked… something is bound to be near! Dave, good thinking." Arle smiled. "If that's what you want…" Ess complied. "We dropped onto the island and waved goodbye to the others. Amitie stared at me with concern before the Tetra's hatch closed.

"Where do we look for the Yog here?" Rulue wondered. "Patience. I am trying to sense for its presence, this might take some time before we get anywhere. Let's walk around for a bit…" I began. Nobody said a single word for five minutes. And then, I found where the evil was coming from. "...!" The others noticed me react to sudden change. "Did ya get somethin'?!" Lemres came up to me. "Yeah. It's here, alright… Over here guys!" I motioned my hand. "Good, this should hopefully give us a map to where it is hiding." Accord smiled. "The evil that I am starting to feel as well is meowtrageous." Popoi shivered. "Hey wait, what's this?" Ex looked while kneeling. "Huh? What's what?" I stopped and wondered. The rest of us came to him to see that same gunk flow through some weird algae and into the sea water. "This must be it! This wicked spawn from the Yog! It's… uh, what is it? It's not a seed…" Arle squinted. "It's algae, Arle... A type of plant that grows in bodies of water." I told her. "A-anyway, if we destroy it with Carby's beam, the stuff will disappear along with it. Serilly can be saved." She said. "Well, you know what to do, Carbuncle. Destroy that plant!" I pointed him to that. "GU!" He screamed. Carbuncle was able to successfully destroy it. "Look guys…! The clouds… and the water too!" Ringo saw. "They're returnin' to normal! Yeah!" Lemres did his little goofy dance again. "If the water is clean, then that means Serilly truly IS safe!" I became glad. "Looks like things are turning up great." Ex stood back up. "This is great and all, but we need to go and beat up that Yog, guys." Rulue got us back on track. I ran ahead as the others followed behind. "That cave over there... it's here, the Yog. Ex, transform." I said. "Right." Ex nodded to me. "Haah!" We both went. Thus, our armors were on… the two dragon warriors, demonic and dimensional. "I'm ready to beat the crap out of this Yog…" Rulue cracked various bones. "I couldn't agree with you more, Rulue." Arle stood by her. "With Satan's power boosting my own, I can zap with tons of volts." Ringo grinned. "Dave, as your teacher… I will try my best to ensure that you stay alive in all of this." Accord said. "Time to kick some eyeball ass and take out this sonuvabitch..." Lemres became eager to fight. "Damn straight… let's do this, guys. For our friends, families, and the entirety of Primp and Suzuran… we will win!" I ran in place. "Hold on… there's one small thing you should be aware of before we do this, Dave…" Accord stopped me. "Huh…?" I froze. "I have seen your Claw of Shadows attack before when you fought the dark mage... It's made of dark magic, isn't it?" She came in front of me. "I… think so…? I never really thought about what kind of magic it exuded." I replied. "Just remember that it won't do us any good here, so just use other spells." She advised. "Who do you think you're talking to? You have said for a while that I was your best student. There's a reason for that... I'm smart and good at fighting. Meaning, there's also no way that I would forget something like that so quickly." I pressed the base of my thumb on my armor. "... ***giggle* **You are correct, kid- -I mean, young adult." Accord walked back behind me.

I entered the cave, hearing the others walk behind. After going in a bit, it was already pitch black. "It's so dark in here..." Ringo stated the obvious. "I just wish that there was a way for us to see where we are going…" I heard Arle say before she tripped a little. "Hm… This should suffice. Shining Melody." A light flickered around us, coming from Accord. "Ms. Accord?" Ex and I looked. "Let's just say that I have a lot of tricks…" She explained. "I guess that means she has the magic knowledge of a god…" Rulue sighed. "You know it! Ms. Accord is a revered magic user n' she's a magic instructor for a reason." Lemres' eyes twinkled. "Whatever, let's continue forward." I moved and had Accord be with me, side-by-side. Walking further didn't seem to do much. My sense of the Yog wasn't getting stronger and I was about to give up. That was, until I decided to make a left at a fork. "...! It's close!" I felt and ran. I stopped a few seconds after to see what I was hoping for. "Bingo." Ex saw it too. "It's the Yog!" Arle came through. "So, it looks like you have found me, Dave." The Yog spoke to me. "Enough games, we destroyed the algae you made!" I rained on the parade. "...! Then you must have found it. I felt the algae disappearing, but I wasn't sure who or what did so. So, you are all here to remove me from the equation, is that right?" It continued. "Damn straight, you sack of tear ducts!" Rulue made her fighting stance. "Even if you do manage to do so, there are seven other Yogs associated with me… each tougher than the last." The Yog alerted us. "Tch. So it's like the ones we fought before… where there's eight of them." Arle scoffed. "Enough, you will not live to see the destruction of your dimensions. They will be destroyed in their entirety!" It fired a laser beam. "Look out!" I exclaimed. We retreated to a rocky area and hid. "Great, now what do we do?" Ringo planted her back on the rock. "There's no doubt that the Yog will see us coming… that eyeball is just too huge." Ex pointed out. "Then, is there a way for us to land an attack?" Rulue asked. "I might have just the thing, Judgment. It was effective on past Yogs that you, me, and Schezo fought, Rulue." Arle said to her. "Oh yeah, how can I forget? Well, use it already! It's better than not trying at all!" She told her. "Right!" She nodded back. Arle fired off her Judgment at the Yog, to which it took quite the hit. "Yes! Direct hit!" I thrusted my fist. "OOOOOOUGH!" The Yog slammed against one of the cave's walls. "Everyone, this is our chance to take it down." Accord began casting a spell. "Cryogenic Bomb!" I launched. "Hard-drop!" Ex threw. "Lightning Strike!" Ringo released. "Bayoen!" Arle sent. "Iron Fist, shake the ground and cause rocks to fall!" Rulue punched. "Jawbreaker Cannon!" Lemres fired. "Orcustrated Blast." Accord shot out. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The Yog screamed. It laid down on the ground, covered in rocks and barely alive. I approached the Yog, walking to it with an aura of defiance. "***pant* **Don't think that this is over… it only has just begun. I will return to where I came from to heal." The Yog said before it faded. "Damn! It got away…" I began to walk back. "Look on the bright side Dave, at least Serilly is safe." Arle looked at me. "If it means that the Yogs are off our backs for a while, then I'm fine with how things are at the moment." I sighed. We came out from the cave, seeing the dusky sky above us. "It's nearly sunset already?" Ringo tilted her head. "Well, that's not too far-fetched… I felt like we were in that cave for a lot of time, Ringo." I told her. "We should get out of here then… Carby, make a portal for us." Arle requested. "Gu!" Carbuncle complied with it. "Where's this goin'?" Lemres asked her. "To Primp, where else?" She answered for him.

We went through it and came to. "I should call my crew…" Ex walked away from us. "Uh… me and Ringo still need to go home in Suzuran, Arle." I came to her. "Don't bother with her, I'll take ya back with a portal of my own. Here ya go." Lemres made for us. "Thank you, man." I said. Me and Ringo returned to Suzuran so that we could go home. That was, until Satan's voice came to us. "Dave, Serilly has just woken up and doesn't remember how she ended up like this. The stuff that was on her before is now gone. The only problem now is that I don't have a body of water for her… Could you take Serilly with you for the time being? I can't babysit a mermaid, especially when I need the most rest that I can get." He asked out of me. "S-sure…" I nodded. "Daaave! Don't just let him bring her to us! What would Mom think of this?!" Ringo pouted. "I'm sure she'll understand, Ringo. Besides, Serilly needs space for her own to live comfortably." I told her. "Here she is… Careful, she's heavier than you would think." Satan warned me. "Oof-!" I went. "O-oh! Hi, Dave. It's been a while, hasn't it? What's been going on lately? I can't remember..." Serilly landed and hung on to me. "It's a bit lengthy, I'll tell you on the way back to our place." I answered her concern. "_"Our"_...? Who's this over here?" She turned her head to Ringo. "That's Ringo, she's a cool girl who is also in love with me." I showed off. "Love, huh?" She thought deeply. "... ... Hey, I need you to listen here, it's important." I snapped Serilly back into reality. "O-okay." She nodded.

"Oh, so Harpy was worried about me and this ended up with you seeking out and finding me, controlled by… whatever a Yog is." Serilly summed up. "Basically." I nodded to her. "Well, thank you for saving me, Dave." She blushed. "Hey, it makes us even. You saved me from drowning, and now I saved you. Hehehe." I grinned while scratching the back of my head. "Nooo! Don't make it sound like you have feelings for him, Serilly!" Ringo puffed up her cheeks. "***giggle* **Oh no, I'm only grateful for him rescuing me. Please, don't get the wrong idea here, Ringo." Serilly made that out to be the case. Ringo sighed and Ms. Ando saw us enter. "Oh my goodness! What is this?" She reacted. "I'll… Actually, do you want to explain it to your mother?" I turned to Ringo. "Wh-what?! Don't look at me, I don't know the full story!" She riled up. "I can explain what I know, based on what Dave told me. Hello, I am Serilly. As you can see, I'm a mermaid." Serilly introduced herself. "To think, there's a live mermaid and I'm seeing one before my eyes." Ms. Ando chuckled. Serilly told Ms. Ando everything I told her. After that was done, I brought in the rest of the story. "This is horrible… but it couldn't be helped. It was bound to happen sooner or later, considering all of these weird back-to-back events. Enough of that though, doesn't she need a body of water?" Ms. Ando switched up the topic. "Well… I don't need one per se." Serilly said. "What?! But you're still a fish, you have gills. You need to go back into the water eventually!" I grew worried. "It's fine, I don't just have gills, you know… I have lungs too." She showed me by audibly breathing with her mouth and nose. "Y-you're amphibian?! H-how is that possible?! Mermaids are supposed to be half-human and half-fish, right?" My eyes widened. "... It was like this: I didn't have lungs from the start. I was kind of… gifted with them a few years ago. So really... I'm more like a human who can breathe underwater, and also swim much better with this tail." She elaborated. "Convenient…" Ringo quietly muttered. "Huh? What was that, Ringo?" Serilly asked her. "Ugh, never you mind…" She walked away. "What is up with her?" Ms. Ando wondered. "I dunno… ever since Serilly came into my arms tonight, Ringo's been like that." I shrugged. "I think my girl is jealous of Serilly there." She believed. "...! It's making her jealous because I went on a date with her today. She now feels neglected and…" I stopped talking. "You should talk to her. Don't worry, I'll set Serilly down somewhere." She suggested. "Alright…" I left the living room. "Ringo? Ringo? Where are you? Come on… don't you think you're overreacting? You're still my love. The date was fun when we went for karaoke! I enjoyed singing with you in the same room, alone!" I called out to her. "Why…? Why do you keep doing this to me?! You show love and affection for me, but then you focus on other girls once they appear and leave me in the dust! This leaves me to feel lonely and it seems you don't truly want me as a girlfriend…" She bellowed. "Ringo… look, I don't mean for this to be the case, I really don't! Hell, I don't have those kinds of feelings for Serilly… I just wanted to help her out of a literal sticky situation, which I did! I did it so that it can serve as a _"thank you" _to her. She saved my life, and all I wanted to do was to save hers in return. Please understand that, Ringo… I love you all the same, that date meant something to me!" I poured my heart out for her. "...! Dave..." "Can you please come out of hiding, so that I can see your lovely smile again?" Ringo soon stepped out from the shadows and hugged me. "Please, don't betray our bond…" "You have nothing to fear, Ringo. Like I have said for all this time; I'll stick with you, through and through." I continued my promise and kissed her. "Now, how about we go back and see what your mother is doing for Serilly?" I proposed the idea. "I… guess." Ringo gave in. "Hey, Ms. Ando… did you get something for Serilly?" I asked. "I sure did. I remembered that we had a wheelchair in the closet. As soon as I fully dry her up, she can sit in it." She told me. "Great!" I was elated. When she was done with that, Ms. Ando made dinner. "Serilly, you're welcome to eating with us if you would like…" She tempted her. "It does look yummy…" Serilly looked at the food. We ate happily and turned in for the night after everything else. I placed Serilly on the sofa to have her sleep with a blanket and cushion. "Goodnight, Serilly. See you in the morning." I wished her a good sleep. "You too." She smiled. I walked back to my room, immediately hitting the bed to take a trip to dreamland.

I woke up the next morning with an unexpected feeling. "Hm? …!" _What the-?! Serilly?! How did she end up here?! Oh no… I need to get her back on the sofa before Ringo notices this. Hopefully, she hasn't woken up yet and I can carry Serilly over there._ I picked up the sleeping mermaid and did just that. I made sure not to wake her up as I carried her. "Ah, Dave. Gee, it looks like something odd happened to you…" Ms. Ando spoke. "... From that tone, it sounds like you knew about this beforehand. … Did you move Serilly to my bed, Ms. Ando? Tell me the truth." I requested an answer. "I confess… She sounded like she dreamt something about you, making hug-like motions with her arms." She said. "... … What…?" My eye twitched. "***chuckle* **Don't worry, I won't tell my girl about this, Dave." She convinced me. "Alright… I trust you." I nodded. More of the morning passed with Ringo waking up, and Serilly doing so later. "***yawn*** Are you guys awake already…?" Serilly got up with her arms. "We've been awake for a while…" I told her in truth. "***yawn* **You guys must be early birds… I'm not like that." She rubbed her eyes. "It's fine. You're only a guest here, so it's not a problem for us." Ringo assured her. Serilly nodded to Ringo and eventually climbed aboard the wheelchair. "Look at that, Ringo. Serilly already knows how to get around by herself with that thing." I showed her. "I will admit, it's impressive considering that it's been less than twenty-four hours so far." She observed. "Yeah." I nodded. Breakfast was a joy for Serilly specifically. She was eyeing the pancakes like they were candy to a kid. She nommed on them and looked incredibly adorable while doing so. "Thank you so much, Ms. Ando! These fluffy bits are simply the best." She cleaned her face up. "You're a guest here, so you should be treated as one, Serilly." Ms. Ando smiled. "Serilly, do you want to see the city of Suzuran before you go back to the ocean?" I asked her. "See… Suzuran? So that's what this city is called? I suppose… I won't have much to lose." She figured. "Suzuran is an urbanized area, so expect some big places. This is just a smaller one by comparison. Me, my mom, and my sister are part of the Ando family name. This isn't just a home, it's also a market on the outside. We sell the freshest produce that you can find." Ringo explained to Serilly. "A family business…!" Her mouth stayed open. "I think she's now raring to go, Ringo." Ms. Ando laughed. "Then let's go, it can be fun!" I rushed through to get ready.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave and his group of rescuers successfully saved Serilly from the now revealed existence of a Yog. This species of dimensional beings caused trouble for Arle, Rulue, and Schezo in years past. Most of Dave's friends began looking for a special ore for smelting into a sword blade, one powered by both light and dark. Satan grows weaker with each passing moment. He delivered Serilly to Dave after she was found to be okay. For the night, the mermaid stayed with our main character and Ringo. On the next day, Serilly wanted to go see all of Suzuran before she heads back to the ocean. What kind of fun will she cherish on this day? Next chapter, Chapter 42: Mermaid-Vision.**


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42: Mermaid Vision**

**Serilly's POV**

I watched as Dave enthusiastically got himself ready. Ringo sighed because of how active Dave was becoming. Honest to Poseidon, I thought of it as a cute interaction. They told me that it would be cold. I felt the outside air and confirmed that it was indeed. "Serilly, I might have a spare sweater for you in my room." Ringo zipped away. "..." I stood there, quiet until... "With a fish-like body such as that, you need to keep yourself warm." Dave advised. "I'll… keep that in mind, Dave." I said. "Here's a biiiig one. This ought to keep you covered for the day." Ringo gave me. "Th-thanks." I took it. Initially, I thought it was itchy to wear, but my body became used to the feeling. Rolling around outside was yet another experience that I never had been through before. I was actually moving myself on land for once and I couldn't believe it. "This is something else…" I looked about. "Yeah, I was like that too when I first saw Suzuran, Serilly." Dave mentioned. "He loves this city, almost as much as me." Ringo followed up with. "I can see why." I giggled. "Hey, who's that over there?" Dave stopped walking. "Huh?" Me and Ringo noticed at the same. "Isn't… that the ocean's prince? What is he doing here?" I wondered. "Ocean royalty?" Ringo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's a prince, Serilly? With that look, he seems rather feminine." Dave doubted. I understood his confusion, the prince looked all pink and whatnot. "Don't be fooled by his current appearance, Dave. I assure you that he is in fact a prince, and not a princess. What you see there is his humanoid form, the one he uses to blend in with humans." I explained. "He's coming over to us…" Ringo noticed. "How unlikely, to see another sea creature here. …! What in the seven salty seas is that there?! Why are you on it?!" He yelled with a high-pitched tone. The prince became offended by me sitting in the wheelchair. "S-sorry, I had nothing else to use to get by on land, my prince. It is of my personal apologies…" I calmed his temper. "Well, if it's for the sake of letting you move on land... I forgive you. ***gasp* **I must keep moving! Sorry, miss mermaid, but I am occupied at the moment!" He hollered before running off. "What the heck is going on with him?" Dave scratched his head. "I don't know... The prince is probably so busy with duties to perform that he's behind schedule." I assumed. "Makes sense…" Ringo shrugged. I was able to look at more of the city as time passed. They showed me the school that they go to. "Wow, so this is your school…" I took interest. "Yeah, we learn whatever we can here. Right now though, we're on break at the moment. About a week left of relaxation after this day…" Dave bragged slightly. "We have a friend that goes here with us, do you want to meet him, Serilly?" Ringo asked me. "Sure." I nodded. The two lovers led me to a tree-shaped house.

Dave knocked on the door and a bear came out. "A… bear?" I saw. "The bear looked at me in surprise. "! Wh-who is this, Ringo?" He stuttered. "Ris, that right there is Serilly, a mermaid. Also… it looks like you healed since we last saw you, so that's good." Ringo introduced me to him. "This is unbelievable… I know that I am a talking squirrel bear, but I didn't think that mermaids were real." He said in truth. "Serilly, this is Risukuma. He's a smart one when it comes to anything science-heavy." Dave described. "I'm sure he is." I smiled. "Brrrgh… Maybe we should all get inside. I don't want my home to be getting cold from the outside air." Risukuma suggested to us. "Of course." Ringo agreed. I didn't hear Dave disagree either, so I just rolled with it. The house itself was nice and warm. Many things were scattered about like the aftermath of a hurricane. _Some areas are really messy… I wonder if it's because of Risukuma being a science-type_. "Ris, what the hell happened here?" Dave asked the bear. "Oh that? Just a myriad of different scrapped notes I took for certain experiments. Now, all but one of them I had planned are completely abandoned." He answered his question. "Okay… then what was the one that didn't end up like that?" Ringo moved things along. "It involves the interaction between thermite and ice. I figured this would be an appropriate one to make because of Winter coming." Risukuma showed. "Uh, what's thermite?" I got curious. "If I remember correctly… isn't thermite basically a bunch of flammable metal powder?" Dave seemed to recall. "In a nutshell… I guess. But anyway, I made up different compositions to see which one is most effective for taking out ice. The first one is made of…" He went on. The rest of what Risukuma talked about made my head spin. I didn't get any of it and I was left confused. "Don't worry, I don't get a lot of this stuff either, Serilly. At least the boys seem to be having a good time." Ringo clasped my hands. "Yes. I didn't expect Dave to be a really smart guy." I told her. "Uh… Serilly, that's your name, right?" Risukuma came to me. "Correct, what is it?" I waited. "Well… wouldn't it be more convenient if you had legs and whatnot?" He brought the question upon me. "It would make me get around even better on land… why do you ask?" I waited again. "... I think I can make you something with a little help from a friend. A device that will allow you to choose between that tail of yours, and legs at will." He proposed. "***gasp* **Really?!" I got excited. "It'll take time… like a few dedicated days-worth of designing. I was bored anyway, and wanted to do something else. My thermite compositions are not ready yet, so I might as well see if I can do this for you." The bear told me. "I guess that means you get to stay with us until then." Dave turned back over to me. "Well… I love Ringo's mother with how she makes things, so I don't mind." I said in direct response. "We'll be heading out, Ris. See you when you get that thing made." Ringo said. "Sure. And, Serilly… I hope you like Suzuran and desire to come back after you leave." Risukuma wished me. "Definitely! Goodbye, Risukuma." I waved before rolling outside.

I got to see even more of the city. I do have to say, it was bustling, despite the cold Fall hampering things. The three of us talked while I took in the sights. I really did enjoy myself thoroughly in this. But everything changed when a weird young man rushed to my side. "Excuse me, but you are of fish-kind, are you not?" I heard. "Yes, and who are you?" I turned around. Dave and Ringo just watched as this exchange of words unfolded. "I am Otomo, a butler for Prince Shellbrick III. Tell me, have you seen him around here lately?" He asked out of me. "I did see him, but I don't know where he went." I answered truthfully. "Oh no, I can't let himself get into trouble! I need to find him as soon as possible, so that the king and queen don't scold me!" He panicked. "Don't worry, I can find the little squirt for you." Dave jumped in to help. "For the record, DON'T call him a little squirt. He is Prince Shellbrick III, I will have you know." Otomo felt offended. "My apologies." Dave bowed. We watched as he transformed and flew off. "Woah! What is that?" I was stunned. "That's his dragon armor form. Essentially, Dave has the power of something known as the Demonic Dragon Warrior." Ringo went on about. "He looks so amazing…" I nearly lost myself. "But, will he find the prince?" Otomo was still deeply concerned. "Don't you worry, Dave has a sharp eye. There's no way that he won't spot the prince when he's up in the air." Ringo assured him.

**Dave's POV**

I searched the city persistently for the prince, but I had no luck. Throughout most of the time, I just could not find him. "Damn, where is this scapegoat at? I know Suzuran is pretty big, but he should still be running around… Maybe the prince is hiding out somewhere? It's like he knows that Otomo is trying to look for him. That would explain why he was in a hurry when we saw the little feminine guy... That has to be it! Alright, where would I hide if I was a little humanoid prince with pink hair? … Hold on, I see a little shadow creeping around in that alley. It's shaped like the prince too… I might have found him." I landed on the ground and looked closer. "Woah! What in the whale is that monstrosity?!" I heard a voice. _It's him! I hear his girly voice!_ The shadow started to run in the other direction, to which I gave chase. My wings easily out-paced his running and I grabbed the little twerp. "H-hey! Let me go, Shellhead!" He demanded. "Sh-Shellhead?!" I grew angry from his name call. "What do you want from me?! I'm Prince Shellbrick III!" He exclaimed. "I want to take you to someone, Prince." I took us both to the sky. "Aaaaaah! I feel seasick!" He screamed. "It seems like you were running away from someone, mind telling me who? And answer truthfully, otherwise… I'll drop you!" I forced him. "I concede, I concede! Just please stop!" He pleaded. "Then tell me." I waited. "I was fleeing from my butler, Otomo. He never lets me have any fun! Otomo only keeps me bottled up within the confines of the undersea castle." He told me. _Just as I suspected… he ran away from Otomo_. I began flapping back over to where Otomo was. "W-wait, where are you taking me?!" "Back to your butler." "You…! No way! I can't let you do that! Water Ball!" He escaped from my grasp and threw a ball of water at me. It hit me a lot harder than I expected it to. The water ball left a noticeable dent in my armor. "Uuuaaaagh!" I screamed. The impact caused me fall faster than he did._ No! I can't have myself crash to the ground here, people will panic!_ I got a hold of things and stabilized myself. The prince meanwhile, managed to land safely on a pile of dirt. He began to run once more after he recovered. "Oh no you don't!" I chased him. _He's going to have to be tired sooner or later. When he does, I'll grab him again!_

**Serilly's POV**

The butler grew more and more impatient as time went on. "***grumble grumble***" He paced back and forth. "Man, he's growing restless…" Ringo sat down by me. "I can understand his sentiments, I'm sure that Otomo doesn't want to keep babysitting the prince." I sympathized. "It's strange, I thought Dave would've found him by now… What's holding him up?" She didn't get it. "Young lady, with the red hair. Prince Shellbrick III is a slippery one. Even if he is found, he won't just have himself submit to defeat very easily. He will even fight if he feels like it's necessary to get people off his trail." Otomo told her. "I think I have an idea…" I started to roll. "W-wait, Serilly! Don't do anything rash!" Ringo tried to stop me. "It's fine. I know what I'm doing, Ringo." I said. I inched across the city, hoping to find Dave flying. Fortunately, I did. It didn't take too long for me either. The prince noticed I was near and ran to me. "Hey, it's you! Can you take me into hiding?" He asked. I nodded, but I led him to where Otomo was. "Phew, I'm safe…" He sighed. "Actually, about that…" I started. "Eh?" The prince looked before his eyes bulged. "No… nononononono!" He stumbled and fell to the ground. "There you are! We are going back to the castle immediately!" Otomo grabbed the prince. "Nooooo! Mermaid, you tricked me! I trusted you and you chose to stab me in the back! You siren!" He flailed helplessly. "Maybe you should be conscientious of your status and do your duties properly. Otomo only wants what's best for you. Just be a good prince and maybe shenanigans like this won't erupt into trouble." I lectured. "But I hate my dutiiiiiiiiies!" He disappeared, along with Otomo. "Nice going, Serilly!" Dave landed and his armor was gone. "What happened? It looked like you actually got a beating from him." Ringo came to him. "Well, I didn't expect the prince of the ocean to hit me hard with one attack. He may look weak with his humanoid form, but my God he can pack a punch… Agh-!" Dave winced. "A-are you okay?!" I was concerned. "I'll be fine, I have suffered worse pain than this. I just need to lie down a little." He assured me. "We should get going… it's late." Ringo addressed the elephant. "That took up a lot more time than any of us expected." I said. "There's always some sort of event going on with us. Life never seems to slow or change, only continuing at the same breakneck speed." Dave sighed. We came back to Ringo's home. There, we told Ms. Ando of the day's events. "Your lives never change, do they Ringo and Dave?" She chuckled. "That's literally what I said not too long ago…" Dave planted a hand on his face. I rolled over to him and gently rubbed my hand against his arm. "It's not all bad, I got to see Suzuran how it was." I reminded him. "I suppose…" He looked up. I heard a buzzing come in soon after. "Oh! It's from me.. I'll be over there. Excuse me." Dave moved over. "Eh?" I was confused. "It looks like he has a call to answer from someone…" Ringo assumed. I became curious about all of it. I listened, but I didn't understand what the discussion was about. "... I'll see you as soon as I can, bye. Sorry, I have to go somewhere on my own. Looks like I have to cut dinner time short…" He almost went out the door. "Dave…? Is something bad happening?" Ringo turned to him.

**Dave's POV**

"Ringo… None of this concerns you, just stay here." I told her. "No, Dave! I need to know what's going on, as one of your girlfriends. If you tell me to stay away, it'll only have me more likely to follow you." "***sigh* **Very well, but be extremely cautious. What we are dealing with is no joke. Just in case if you're wondering who called me, it was Jace. He found sufficient evidence to have authorities apprehend the criminals. And luckily, it seems that they as a team successfully found most of the rats. The problem rests on the fact that INTERPUYO still only consists of humans. This was why he contacted me, so that I would make short work of the criminals and deliver them to the authorities. If you can make it easier to incapacitate these guys with your lightning, then I'll let you come along." "... Sure. I promise not to weigh you down, Dave." I smiled at Ringo's promise of not dragging around. "Thank you, Ringo. Serilly, make sure you stay safe and happy with Ms. Ando. Everything will be alright on our end, so there's no need for concern." I turned to the mermaid. Serilly simply nodded and we exited for where Jace told me to rendezvous at. "You're here…" Jace saw us. "So, they're hiding inside of the school… We should probably smoke them out like bees. Ringo, are you ready?" I turned to face her. "Do you really need to ask?" She gave a frustrated look. "Alright, alright… let's go then." I transformed into my armor. "Hrr-! Raah!" I forced the doors open. "Excellent work, young man. We will all drive the criminals out of this school and arrest them. Please, help us in this." An officer praised and pleaded. "It would be an honor to help the authorities out. Besides, I have my own reasons for wanting them apprehended, officer. Do not ask what that reason may be, it's a personal one." I replied. "Is that so? Very well, young man." He turned away from me. "I'll stay out here for now, just get those bastards, Dave." Jace told me. "Consider it done." I promised him. I walked inside with the officers. Ringo came in behind us for precautionary protection. We searched for a while, but there was no sign of anybody else being in the school. "This is impossible! Did they escape somehow?!" I overheard an officer yelling. "What's going on? They should be here, right?" Ringo came to my side. "I don't know… There shouldn't be a feasible escape route, I know this school." I looked around. "Fellow officers, I think I may have found where these scoundrels fled to!" A leading officer announced. "Is this true?! Please, lead us to it!" I demanded. "Now, hold on. We'll see if this is safe for you kids." He told us. "Excuse me? I was brought in to help you by Jace because I am no mere human. If you trust him, then you should trust me as well. I think it will be better if you guys stand aside and let me look at things. I'm less susceptible to danger here, just look at me. This armor isn't just for show, it's tough and protective." I decided. "Fine. Alert us when it's safe to come with you." The leading officer moved out of the way. "Unfortunately… this means that you'll have to stay with these officers, Ringo. Not that I don't have faith in you… it's just that we don't know what lies over there." I spoke reasonably. "Promise me you won't get hurt…" Ringo hugged. "I promise." I went with a group who found this discovery. "What might this be?" I wondered. "Well, why don't you take a look? Jace said that you investigated in a murder case at one point. None of us carry knowledge regarding the secret to this hellhole." A lower ranked officer brought up. "Yeah... I did." I began putting the pieces together. Footprints led to a sudden stop in the wall. "What the hell? This footprint just cuts off at this wall…" I observed. I felt parts of the wall to see if there was anything out of place. Soon enough, one tile seemed off to me. After applying pressure, it dug itself further into the wall. "...! Men, I think I have figured it out." I stepped out of the way. "***gasp* **A secret passageway… they must have entered here at some point." A different officer asserted. "Let us take a closer look, but be on your guard." I led them. This passage was long and winding with its path. It took us several minutes just to reach the other side. "Damn, it looks like they're no longer in the building! We took too long to find this place…" I gave up. "... Sorry to have dragged you into this, young man." The leading officer spoke to me. "No, it's fine, sir. None of us expected that it would turn up like this. At least we have driven them out of the school. Who knows what kind of behind-the-scenes strings they were pulling. The downside to this though… much of the school's staff was made up of these villains. The school is basically done at this point, people WILL find out the truth. When they do… the fate of the building's state will be unknown." I said to him. "You were a student at this school, correct?" He assumed. "Yeah… for a few months, I had no idea this kind of secrecy was slipping through, unseen. In fact... no one knew, until recently. Damn those bastards…" I looked at my hands, then rolled them up into fists. I met back up with Ringo and told her the bad news. "Well, that's not good… If we can't do anything about this, then we'll just have to go home." She said. "What's the situation?" Jace rushed to us. "They escaped…" I passed the word. "Goddammit…" Jace displayed his trademark irritated face. "We'll leave now, tell us when you do find them again." Ringo spoke to him. "Sure…" He sat down in a silent rage.

We left for home, telling Ringo's mother about the situation. "... Why must things turn out this way? Why can't there just be peace?" She thought out loud. "Ms. Ando, humans are merely just human. As such, we are easily manipulated and bribed into doing deplorable acts. Human nature is extremely difficult to bend to the good side of things. Sin, the byproduct that grows in us the more we perform wrongdoings… is a toxin, mentally destroying our minds. It is sin that blackens the heart of every human being. Sin-" I get interrupted. "Alright, we get it! You don't have to go off on a tangent about that… again." Ringo demanded for me to stop. "Sorry… I guess I went overboard." I apologized. "In any case… Those bad people need to be stopped, by the look on your faces, right?" Serilly sat firmly in her wheelchair. "Yeah, but as long as we don't know where they are… there's nothing we can do about them." I responded. For the rest of the early night, none of us were so talkative. Me and Ringo stayed silent in the shower. But, I did try to get her to forget things by caressing her. However, she wasn't in the mood for it. Ringo looked at me a certain way that made me cease it. Ms. Ando went to bed early, which I understood why. That meant Serilly was placed on the sofa early too. I decided to go and be with her on it for a bit after wishing Ringo a good night. "Serilly?" "Yes, what is it, Dave?" "I figured that maybe we can talk for a bit. That moment after we came back, it made us all not so… willing to talk." "I know… you guys see this as a very serious situation and you are treating it as such. The bad people, the thing that was controlling me, are both huge concerns." "It's not just that, Suzuran, as well as Primp Town… they're on the verge of being destroyed." "... Will everything be fine?" "... Serilly, how much do you personally value your own life?" "I-I… value it deeply. Why do you ask?" "How would you feel if I possessed the power... to save all that is good from evil dimensional eyeballs." "I… think I would look up to you and-" "Say no more. No matter how grim things become, people will always be there for others. I will be there for you when you're crying and hurt. It's part of a creed that I now follow: Bringing protection to girls who cannot protect themselves and stop their tears. I hate seeing girls in pain… it makes me feel a certain way. I probably should have told you what my powers are, because I-" "I roughly know what you are, Dave. You're the Demonic Dragon Warrior, yes? Ringo said that to me when you searched around for Prince Shellbrick III. I think I have an understanding of how strong you may be. It's interesting... you're a demon of sorts, but not rude or crass at all. In fact, you… are one of the nicest people that I got to know." "A lot of people say that, Serilly… I was able to make so many friends in such a short span of time. Going to this magic school in Primp Town made that happen. Things might've started out awkward and slow, but I became the strongest student in my class. Everyone looked up to me… I'm grateful for it, not because I seeked attention... but because I was in a tough time in life where I didn't have many friends." "Your desire for friends must have been so strong that you got that form of happiness…" "Maybe, but those people understood my bashful nature at the time. See, I wasn't always the powerful and brave guy that you are looking at now. Back then, I only talked a whim. I only spoke when I needed to answer something or whatever. I was quiet, often silent during most days. Ringo and the others though, changed that forever. Over time, I became more outgoing and less passive. And, thanks to that… I began doing more things for myself, and for others. I slowly, but surely, became stronger... to the point where I was one of the strongest people I knew. And well, that's the story, Serilly." "***giggle* **You must be happy most of the time these days, Dave." "That's if things don't go awry… but they obviously have recently. Excuse me for my language, since I'm sure you're one with standards… but, I just want all of that _"destroy the world bullshit"_ to stop. I want there to be peace as much as any other upstanding person. Apparently though, there HAS to be struggle and strife for humans. That part of life never changes, whether it's a war, or something worse, like this. Back in my world, there's no such thing as magic or supernatural creatures. It was built on currently expanding technology. Any country that didn't have a policy on _"control of the people" _was and still is scared stiff as far as I know." "Why is that?" "Because… there's a thing known as nuclear weaponry: Weapons so dangerous, the very essence of them would cause living things to develop cancer. Warheads: Giant explosives stuffed with nuclear force that hit like freight trains. Launching just one of those at a city would spell doom. Even if the initial explosion doesn't kill people… the radiation left behind will linger for a long time. One of my world's two super power countries is one of those _"control the people" _types. Thus, they are not afraid of throwing down a warhead if they are provoked. The other one was where I came from, the land of the free. America. Of course, you wouldn't know what it is from just me telling you." "N-no, I wouldn't. I'm… a little lost with everything you have said." "Don't worry, forget that I said all of that. I can see it alienating you into confusion, Serilly. Well, it's getting late… ***yawn* **See you in the morn-" "Wait. Take me to your room." "Eh?" "I… feel uncomfortable sleeping alone tonight." "Oh… I see. Well, as long as Ringo doesn't find out, I guess." "Thank you… now, carry me." "Will do." I slipped my arms under her back and gripped her body a tiny bit with my hands. Serilly wrapped her arms above my shoulder blades. I took one step at a time, not just because I wanted her to be safe, but I also wanted to not make too much noise. Just when I was about to get us into my room, Ringo popped out of hers and noticed. "Dave…" She glared. "Look… it's not what it looks like." I told her. "***sigh* **Looks like you've left me with no other choice… I'm sleeping with you as well, to make sure SHE doesn't do anything funny." Ringo decided. "Ringo… I'm not…" Serilly frowned. "I don't care, I had a date with him before you came to be here. I'm not about to let some… mermaid have quality time with precious Dave without my approval." She scoffed. "***sigh***" I went. I had no choice in the matter. Ringo forced herself to be with me and oversee Serilly for the rest of the night.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Serilly was shown the sights of Suzuran by Dave and Ringo and loved it. The trio encountered a prince of the ocean, Prince Shellbrick III. They saw him run in a hurrying flight, then he was gone. Later on in the day, they ran into a butler name Otomo. He was desperately trying to retrieve the prince so that he wouldn't be scolded at. Dave volunteered to hunt down the prince and bring him back. Although, upon his attempt, Dave was unable to catch and retrieve him on his own. It was thanks to Serilly that they were able to bring the prince back to Otomo. During the early night, the criminals were supposedly cornered in the school, but then escaped from both Dave, and the authorities' clutches. The rest of the night involved Dave getting a lack of sleep, all because of Ringo's distrust for him and Serilly being alone. What will happen to Dave, Ringo, and Risukuma now that Suzuran High is going to be known to the public as a criminal hideout? Next chapter, Chapter 43: A Rough Transition.**


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43: A Rough Transition**

The morning was rough for me, I yawned so much and I barely kept myself awake. "I'm guessing my girl found out…" Ms. Ando came to me, alone. "Not really, she was just not wanting me to be alone with Serilly that night." I told her. She nodded to my answer and left my side. "***yawn* *sigh* **This is not ideal for me…" I groaned. When I was just about to pass out, I had been struck with something. "Gyaaaagagagagaga! What the hell is wrong with you?!" I turned around. "Good, you're awake." Ringo came to my view. Fury began to override my tiredness during that time. "You know… there are better ways to have me stay awake without doing that!" "Dave, this is punishment for attempting to be alone with Serilly." "Ringo, I keep telling you… It's. NOT. What. It. Seemed. To. Be! Why won't you take my word for it?! Seriously, this whole thing has gone further beyond the typical jealousy one WOULD expect. And, even if I and Serilly did fall in love... how would it change anything? You're at least mostly cool with Feli and Draco being a part of this relationship too. Why are you like this?" "Dave it's… I-I dunno… I just don't know why I'm getting this jealous feeling from Serilly specifically." "Ringo, I want to make it clear to you that me and her are only friends. She's just grateful for me saving her and I now feel like we're even. The only reason why she isn't going back to the sea is because of Ris." "Yeah, I'm… sorry, Dave. I've been a bitch to you and I want to make amends." "Thank you, Ringo." We went our separate ways for the time being. Ringo said that she wanted to go and see how the others were doing. With Satan's help, she had been given a portal to take to Primp. Meanwhile, I stayed in Suzuran with Serilly. "Dave, where did Ringo go?" "She went to Primp Town to check up on our friends." "Oh. Well, can I talk to you about something?" "Yeah? Go on…" "Ever since I was released from that mind controlling stuff, I… I had this liking towards you. My dream from the first night here was about me wanting you." ..._! Ms. Ando mentioned that Serilly was making those hugging motions in her sleep. Has she actually…? No, she only said that she was grateful for my actions. Serilly never said that she actually loved me. _"I-is that so, Serilly?" "Yes. I denied it before in front of Ringo, but that's not how I truly feel for you. You are just… so amazing, and this chivalrous aura you emanate is unreal. This maiden's heart has fallen for you." "I'm flattered… but please, I don't love you the same. Can we… just be friends? I'm not saying that to be rude… I just... kind of have enough on my plate as it is…" "I see. No matter, I can still always count on you when I need help." "Yeah… ... I wonder how the others are doing right now. They're all at Primp, searching for this ore. I think Harpy is there too…" "Is she really, Dave?" "Well, we won't know for sure until Ringo comes back." We sat around for more time, making up topics to speak of along the way. Ms. Ando would occasionally listen to us talk. She never said anything, only hearing an occasional phrase or sentence from us, then leaving to do things around the house.

**Ringo's POV**

I saw Amitie and the rest toil away in search for the ore. "Ringo!" I heard Amitie notice me. "Hey, Amitie. Have you guys had any luck with finding ore?" "Not me, Ringo… this stuff must be rare as heck. I wish Dave was here, he would be a strong-willed worker in this." "Yeah, he would be… Say, y'know where Ex is around here?" "No… it's been a few hours since I've seen him, so I dunno. My best guess is that he's somewhere down that way." She pointed me in the likely direction. "Well, that's better than nothing… See ya around, Amitie." I walked away and waved.

**Ex's POV**

Looking for this ore proved to be a much bigger challenge than what any of us thought. "Phew… this is getting absurd. We dug this whole complex, and we still have not found even a nugget of this stuff." I said to myself. "Father, this is reeeally tiring…" Yui slowed down. "I know, Yui. The progress we have made so far has been minimal at best. Damn… is it really worth it trying to find the ore?" I questioned. "Satan said that it was in our best interest, so he has to be in the right about that." Rulue told me. "You really trust him, do you, Rulue?" I tested her trust in him. "Of course I trust him, he's someone that I love." She answered. "Love, huh? Well, that explains it. ***chuckle* **You have an interesting taste in men, I'll give you that." I admitted. "M-Mr. Ex…" Lidelle appeared before me. "Hm? What is it, Lidelle?" I knelt a little. "Th-this mining is brutal, my small body can't take anymore of this…" She cried a little. "... My goodness, you have scratches all over and your legs are shaking. Let's… take you outside." I took her. Along the way, I saw Amitie doing her own thing and she looked back at me. Me and Lidelle carried on further to the outside. "M-Mr. Ex… you care about us a lot, do you?" "Of course, Lidelle. I have two daughters now, so I have to really be an adult to take care of kids like you. Besides, I know how gentle and quiet you are. You're vulnerable to being verbally and physically harassed by bullies and such. I got to know that after I saved you and Raffina from those beach thugs. Remember that?" "Y-yes, I do… they were really scary." "But it's all good… because you have people like me and Dave who protect the weak." "Dave… ... Uh, Mr. Ex?" "Yeah?" "Where is Dave?" "Well… he should be in Suzu-" I heard a new voice enter the tunnel as I was saying that. "He IS over in Suzuran." It rang in my ears from the tunnel walls. "R-Ringo…?" I saw her come. "Yep, it's me." She answered my call. "So uh, what are you doing here?" I wondered. "Oh, I came by to see how you guys were doing." She said. "Um… how do I say this? None of us found any as of yet." I told her. "I-it's so painful to do…" Lidelle mentioned to her. "Not too surprising…" Ringo rolled with. "Yeah, um… I gotta get Lidelle outside for her to rest, Ringo. Sorry to make this talk short..." I went on, holding Lidelle's hand.

**Raffina's POV**

_Son of a bitch… How much more of this digging and mining do we have to do to find this stupid kind of rock?! I haven't seen Lidelle in a while and I'm getting worried. What if she got lost in this damn tunnel? She would probably get assaulted by even the smaller creatures, like bats. Speaking of bats… there's one hanging upside-down over my head currently. I feel anxious to be near this bat for the amount of time I had here. But, I must persevere. Someone has to stand up for Lidelle… What kind of big girl can I be if I can't protect her, like that one time in the Puyo Isles? _"This whole thing stinks…" I groaned. "Come now, Raffina… you shouldn't lose devotion to help." Tarutaru sat down to rest. "Tarutaru, I'm not losing devotion. I think you're looking too deep into this." I sighed. "This ore is supposed to help the dark mage fight off those Yogs. They'll be tough without it." He said. "But… this guy is a pervert, one with very sick fetishes." I rolled my eyes. "Pervert or not, if he is a good fighter... then it's a must to have him in a fit condition for this." He tried convincing me. "Whatever…" I scoffed.

**Lemres' POV**

_Ever since I came back to Primp, me and the others had been minin' for this ore. Be it as it may, even though I used my Jawbreak Cannon attack to bust through parts of this place… there has been no luck so far._ "Damn, man… this could take us forever…" I wiped some sweat off my forehead. "Ugh, what a pain…" Feli complained. "Feli, let's take a break…" I panted slightly. She nodded to my words and we sat. "Lemres, can this really make that dark mage become useful to us?" "If anythin' can help him, it's welcomed to him. Remember: The dark mage's old sword, the Sword of Darkness, broke on him." "Yeah, from that bastard, Vyle." "Even if he still had that blade, none of its makeup would do a damn thing to the Yogs." "It's like that guy's fortune is cursed. Luck and such never seem to be on his side..." "Yup, he never was somebody who had consistent luck on his side. Somethin' bad is usually happening to him. Speakin' of the dark mage… I think I should find 'n talk to him. He needs to know." "But, Lemres…! He's so stubborn! And, he's stupid at times too!" "Feli, how's he supposed to help if he doesn't know?" "Fine, go to him." "Good, I'll be back before ya know it." I left to go see him.

**Klug's POV**

"***sigh* **Where is some motivation when I need some? Seriously, this entire time with digging for the ore has been absolutely dreadful. My hands are shaking from the constant mining. I need a break…" I sat down. After a minute or two passed, a voice came to me. "Klug?" "Oh, it's you, Ringo. I heard that this Yog was very strong and it took all of you guys to pin down the being." "Yeah, those lazer beams were not a joke. For a time, we were forced to take cover." "Even Dave?" "Even him." "At any rate, the first of these Yogs has been put out of commission for the time being. ***sniff sniff sniff* **Do you smell that?" I had brought to her attention. We looked around, grey stuff started to envelop the tunnel. "What the hell is this...? How can there be smoke down here? There isn't even a fire…" I was bewildered. "...! Klug, everyone here needs to get out!" Ringo yelled. "H-huh?! What's with the sudden urgency, Ringo?!" I jolted to a stance. "Just don't breathe in the smoke, I think that this is smoke from a wicked seed!" She assumed it to be. "You mean-?! Shit! Let's- ***cough*** -warn everybody!" I ran. We warned a majority of the group, but I didn't see Amitie, Ex, Lemres, Lidelle, or Sig anywhere. _There's not much time! We need to get out before this smoke affects us all! Can I make it outside? _Those who had made up our group came to the safety of the outside air. A series of coughing fits had lasted for a few seconds after that. "Phew... That was close…" I panted. "Klug? What happened to you guys?" Amitie looked at us in concern. "This seems like trouble…" Ex came by with Lidelle. _Oh thank God, those three are safe. I still don't see Lemres or Sig though..._ "Amitie, a wicked seed might be in the tunnel!" Ringo elaborated. "A wicked seed?! But… Sig is still in there, he's the only one that I didn't see come out." Amitie had revealed that fact. "Oh dear, Sig is still in the tunnel?" Ms. Accord looked uneasy. "He's likely been affected by the smoke by meow." Popoi assumed. "S-Sig is not himself now?" Lidelle shivered. "We have to assume that it has to be the case, Lidelle. Damn! When was that seed placed in there?!" Raffina gritted her teeth. "So, if Sig is still in there... then where's Lemres?" I wondered. "He said that he went to go see the dark mage a little while ago." Feli came to me. "Yo, I'm back g- ... Uh, what's goin' on? Y'all look so…" Lemres stopped. "Lemres, we think there's a wicked seed producing smoke in there." I told him. "Eh?" His face became pale. He was caught up with the realization that Sig was not with the rest of us. "... We must go back in there and destroy the wicked seed, there's no other choice." Ex made up his mind. "What?! H-hold on, Ex! We don't have Carbuncle with us. Without him, it'll be practically impossible to destroy it. And without a way, we'll be inside pointlessly and be affected by that damn smoke." Ringo brought up. "Oh yeah… Where's Arle? We need her here ASAP!" He requested. "***sigh*** I'll go get her…" Ms. Rulue begrudgingly opted. We waited with bated breath for her to return. "Geez… you've gotta be kidding me guys, there's a Yog in there?" A voice came up. "A-Arle!" Amitie turned around. "I hope that this Yog is only here by coincidence… If it turns out that they knew that we would be searching for the ore, I swear to God-!" I stopped Feli and calmed her. "It doesn't matter if the Yog is or is not here by chance, Feli. What matters is that we need to deal with that wicked seed first and foremost." I prioritized matters. "Well said, that's why we brought Arle and Carbuncle here today." Ex faced himself towards the cave. "One problem does remain though… As long as we don't know where the wicked seed is in there, it will take us time to find it. The longer that we stay in there, the more we are affected by the smoke." Ms. Accord pointed out. "That is irritating…" Ms. Rulue admitted. "Wait, I remember seeing Dave not being affected by that gunk in the ocean with his armor on. He touched a controlled Serilly, but he was perfectly fine. I don't understand how that can be..." Arle remembered. "What…? You mean to say that he was… unaffected by it, Arle?" Ex looked back. "He had it all over his hands, but nothing happened to him." She described. "I see... ***chuckle* **I might've found a solution to this issue. Hrrah!" He transformed. "What's the plan then?" Amitie wondered. "Well, my body is completely covered in this armor now, meaning that no outside gases or whatever can get inside… at least, not very easily." He explained in detail. "No way… usin' the armor as a gas mask?" Lemres realized. "Correct. Now, there's one other thing we should clear up, so that we know for sure... Arle, is there a chance that Carbuncle can affected by the smoke?" Ex faced Arle. "It doesn't seem like he's affected… Carby should be fine." She answered. "Good. Carbuncle, how about we go and destroy the wicked seed in there?" He held out his hand to him. "Gu!" The little one ran up to Ex's shoulder. "I guess that means he's on board..." He assumed. "M-Mr. Ex, please come out of this in one piece…" Lidelle wished. "Don't worry, Lidelle. He's a strong person, he won't go down without a fight." Raffina cheered her up. "See you guys later." He left.

**Ex's POV**

I walked around for a while in the tunnel, but I did have to worry about anything. The smoke couldn't leak inside my armor. The main thing on my mind was an obvious one. _If I were a Yog, where would I put a wicked seed? Actually, I don't even know what these things look like. But… maybe Carbuncle remembers what they look like. He'll notice one if he sees it. _Up ahead, I can see a shadow of a person creeping around. "Is that… Sig?" I questioned myself. Carbuncle remained quiet as I went in carefully for a closer look. _Huh? I sense something off about the boy. It's… not him! Damn this smoke, it's gotten to him. _"Who's there?" His head turned. _Looks like my large amount of energy has been noticed… _"Me. Now, I demand that you release him from your control, Yog!" I showed myself. "Why would I do that? He serves as a form of security. Let me guess... you are after the wicked seed that I made, correct?" It made him speak. "Tch. You're right on the money…" I stepped closer. "If you want to get to the wicked seed, you'll have to go through him first." It continued. "Bullshit! I'm not hurting one of Dave's companions! Get the hell out of my way!" I attempted to dash past. The controlled Sig managed to grab and toss me toward the other way. I used my wings to stop myself from hitting anything. _I can't afford to have my armor sustain critical damage. If a hole gets made from any dents, smoke will start to leak inside. If I can't get through, I'll just have to knock the body unconscious. _"Rrr! Take this!" I smacked the back of Sig's head, causing the body to fall to the ground. "... Okay, he's still breathing. Phew, thank goodness… Carbuncle, do you know where the wicked seed might be?" "Gugu..." He shook his body to tell me that it was a negative. "I see... Where have I not been to?" I continued to search about until I decided to believe that the wicked seed was somewhere deeper. That's when I noticed: The smoke became thicker than before, almost to the point where it became difficult to see things. "God, this is getting thick… Carbuncle, hop on my shoulder again, so that we don't become separated." "Gugu!" "It doesn't help that this tunnel's huge... What if we keep going in cir- Hey, what's that...?" I squinted as hard as I could, trying to see what was beyond the fumes that surrounded us. "***gasp* **Is that…?" "Gu…?" Getting within close proximity proved my assumption, it was the wicked seed that we were looking for. "THIS is what wicked seeds look like?! … Carbuncle, destroy that seed!" "Gugu gu!" He fired his beam at it, which caused an explosion. "Woah!" I covered myself. "... I-is it gone?" I checked around and the smoke quickly receded into nothingness. "I guess it is… Damn, that thing blew up violently..." I sighed in relief and went back to where Sig was. "Let's get him out of here, he might've suffered a concussion from that strike." "Gu!" I carried him outside, where the others still remained. "S-Sig!" Amitie rushed to Sig's side. "He should be fine, barring a smack to the head I gave him. The smoke obviously got to Sig, and the Yog controlling his body wouldn't let me pass. I was left without much of a choice in the end. We were able to find and take out the wicked seed. Now I know why they're called by that, they look… sinister. There's not much else in the way of words that can give their description justice." I reported. "That's great and all, but there has to be a Yog nearby. If we don't get it, it'll have time to make another seed and that's not good for us." Arle brought to our attention. "Wherever it might be, I'll kick it into oblivion!" Raffina swore. "At ease, Raffina. We don't know where we can find the Yog, even if it is close to us." Rulue stopped Raffina from trying to go off by herself. "Lemres, what happened when you talked to the dark mage?" Feli asked him. "Well… I told him about the ore, but he said that he didn't want a replacement sword. To him, it seemed the Sword of Darkness was the only blade that he ever wanted to wield. Plus, he felt disgusted n' offended by the thought of holdin' one with light powers." He dropped on her. "I mean, it's Schezo, of course he's gonna be stubborn about this. Why wouldn't he be?" Arle sighed. "I swear, he's so detestable in that way…" Rulue agreed. "Hold on, could you one of you guys have me go back to Suzuran for a minute? I think we'll need Dave to convince Schezo to help." Ringo announced. "Sure, Ringo. Here you go... This portal will last for a few minutes and it's just outside your home." I made for her. "Sweet, I'll quickly come back with him!" Ringo said before jumping in.

**Dave's POV**

Me and Serilly relaxed while resting on the couch. "Dave, when will Ringo be back? It's been a while…" Serilly wondered. "I'm sure she's finishing things up at the moment, Serilly…" I told her. And that's when the door opened up. "Well, I stand corrected… she's already done, apparently." I looked up. "Dave, come with me, we need you." Ringo grabbed my hand. "Huh? W-woah, slow it down for just a second, Ringo… What's happening over there?" I stopped her. "Look, there's no time to explain until I get you into that portal. It'll close soon, so move it!" She told me clearly. "Serilly, it looks like I won't come back for a while. Take care of yourself until then, okay?" I wanted her to promise. "Sure." Serilly nodded. Ringo and I left for the portal. She told me what was going on on the other side. _Why am I not surprised? Of course there would be a Yog there… And of COURSE Schezo would be stubborn, this is nothing new. _We popped out and I got looks from all over. "***sigh* **Why did this have to happen? Don't worry, guys. I'll get Schezo to help us, whether he likes it or not. Both Suzuran and Primp are at stake and he has to help us." I assured everyone, transforming and flying off to Schezo's cave.

**Rulue's POV**

I watched as Dave flew off in the distance. That Sig boy soon opened his eyes, getting up in confusion. "H-huh? Where am I?" He wondered in an emotionless tone. "Sig, you were controlled by one of the bad dimensional thingies. Ex brought you out of your daze and from the cave." Amitie held out her hand. "Well, that sucks. But… thank you for bringing me back to my senses." He thanked Ex. "No problem." He nodded to him. "Let's get you out of here, Sig… Lidelle you're coming with me too. Time to head back to Primp." Feli opted to escort those two away from here. "No, I'll bring them back. It's more efficient if I do it, Feli." Ex denied her. "There he goes again, shouldering anything that Dave doesn't…" I sighed. Ex flew off with the two kids hanging on. "He is a man of responsibility, Ms. Rulue." Accord walked up to me. I wasn't sure what to think of this. Sure, I knew Ex was very powerful… but you would think that less powerful individuals would be given more to do than mostly sitting around. It just felt so weird to me that even I wasn't doing this kind of thing. It goes to show how far both him and Dave have gone in their quest: To become strong and protect two worlds."Maybe Satan's right… Dave and Ex might be the only ones who truly are capable of saving Primp and Suzuran from these new Yogs." I figured. "Don't get down on yourself, we instructors have a duty too. We have students to protect when Dave and Ex cannot. And, I'm even saying this for the case of Ms. Witch as well. Throughout the years of teaching Amitie and the other wonderful students I got to meet… I became better myself. I wanted to be better because I felt more attached to those kiddies as time went on. Surely, you must have the same thing for Dave specifically. You care for him a lot, don't you?" Accord found the time to say. "U-um, what are you talking about? I just admire him as a strong young man." I became hot under the collar. "Don't try to deny it, Rulue. You are watching out for his well-being. You experienced his emotional breakdowns in the past, even mentioning that Dave was a _"crybaby"_ to us." She said. "O-oh, is that so? I guess I forgot that I said so myself…" I laughed awkwardly. "Do you have olde tymers already, meow?" Her cat asked me. "Shut it, cat. That was a rude question, I'm still quite young for your information. Hmph!" I scoffed. "You must be wondering how Ms. Witch is doing. She has been… complaining about being trapped." Accord brought up. "I could've guessed that had been the case, but this is what she gets for taking advantage of Dave behind our backs…" I tilted my head from side to side.

**Dave's POV**

I landed at the cave enterance, readying myself in convincing Schezo. _This dude needs to know when to help and rely on others… Schezo, I will change you, here and now. If I have to end up doing things the hard way for him, then so be it! _I walked inside. He must have heard my footsteps from a good distance, because he yelled out. "Who is it now?!" "Schezo, it's me." "... You... Why are YOU here, Dave? Are you going to mock me for having no sword anymore? Or... are you going to lecture to me that I should embrace the power of light; even though I am a dark mage, just as Comet Warlock told me?" "I'll do more than what Lemres tried to do, I'll make it be so." "As long as I have a will of my own... that will NEVER happen, Dave! Just go away! Why are you guys so intent on having me join in this?! Sure, I fought against Yogs in the past, but I would only be getting in your way. Besides, this is your problem, not mine. I don't care if all of Primp and Suzuran are at stake. I would rather die than have myself suffer and fight to pointlessly survive. I was never a hero to begin with, so why?! Why are you still trying to get me to help?!" "Schezo... have you ever considered why dark magic is powerful in the first place?" "Why is it powerful in the first place? ***chuckle*** Dave, are you stupid? Of course I know why it's like that. It's because the darkness is an unparalleled tool of annihilation." Schezo mocked my supposed stupidity. "I used to think that was the why in all of this, but I think we were both wrong, Schezo." "How so?" "Think about it: Darkness can't exist without light... and the same can be said in vice-versa. Both of these cannot be without the other. They coexist indefinitely together and this coexistence cannot be severed. It's like a never-ending conflict, raging on since the start of time." "Oi, enough with the philosophical shit! Your point being...?" "***sigh* **Don't you see? The potential of enhancing your dark powers with light… IT'S THERE!" "I am a dark mage, I would never stoop to using light powers!" "Oh really? Just like how you would supposedly never stoop to violating females at night, like Arle?" "What…? I-I don't know what you are talking about. I may very well be what most people would label as a pervert, but I don't go and violate women." "That is a bold-faced lie, Schezo! I heard from Arle that you snuck into her house to do just that. Luckily, she caught on just in time and chased you out. That brings me to another reason why I'm here. Put 'em up, we're having a fist fight!" "***sigh* **What's the point? You would win in the end anyway. If I couldn't beat you with the Sword of Darkness… then how can I possibly stand a chance with only my hands?" "Then I'll just beat some sense into you!" "Dave, this is all completely pointless. Go back to your friends and deal with those Yogs without me." I began beating his face in and gave a long-winded speech. For a while, he just did not break. He just did not want to be a part of this whatsoever. However, I refused to give up. "***pant pant***" "Do you- ***cough* *hack*** -see? Nothing that you say or do will change me, Dave." I channeled my inner spirit and called in a new power to use on Schezo. "… Mind Shift." I flashed my hand, then brought the lit up palm in front of Schezo. "...? Wh-what the hell is going ooooooon?!" He exclaimed.

* * *

**Author's Notes: A wicked seed was planted while many of the characters were continuing to search for the ore needed for Schezo's new sword. Lemres left to go see the dark mage, only to come back and see the others outside the tunnel. Schezo denied the request that Lemres brought to him: To help everyone else in defeating the Yogs. This led to the group ultimately making the decision to bring in Dave to convince him. Our lead enters the dark mage's cave and some initial persuasion didn't seem to do the trick. Dave forced himself to try out this new thing of his called "Mind Shift". What did it do to Schezo though? Next chapter, Chapter 44: Being put to the Test.**


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: Being put to the Test**

**Schezo's POV**

I felt like a bunch of bricks collided with my head. I woke up in this dream-like landscape. "Where the hell am I?" "Good, you're awake." "Dave…! What did you do to me?!" "I just sent us to this place here." "Where?!" "I'm not exactly sure myself... but I know what purpose it has in store for you." "What purpose?! Dammit, stop being so cryptic and give me a straight answer!" "I can't tell you that, Schezo… you need to discover the answer for yourself." "Wha-? AAAAAAH!" I fell into a deep, void-like pit below my feet. My body hit the ground and it was PAINFUL. "Ouch! Dammit, Dave… ... What is he seriously hoping to accomplish by making me go through this? … Hm? What's this?" I saw mirror-like crystals on the walls of this tunnel. They displayed my past, recent events, and supposedly, my future from the looks of them. Some of the ones from my past, I remembered clearly. One past memory came in repeatedly to haunt me; the time that I encountered the Sword of Darkness and first became a dark mage. "Why? Why does this place keep reminding me of that memory?" As soon as I asked that question to myself, another vision of the _"future" _flashed before my eyes. What I saw was horrific, even for me. Just about everyone who I had ever known were being killed left and right, mercilessly. Some of these deaths were too much to bear eyes on. That's how gory things were in a nutshell. The killer was shadowy, but I figured out who it was. "The killer's… me. But... why? And how? I don't feel remorseful, but there's just one thing that doesn't sit right in my mind. What did I use to kill them? Assuming if this actually is what my future shows… just was it?" I watched more of it to get the context behind what was going on. Dave laid face-down on the ground, almost dead while future me didn't say anything."Sch-Schezo… you- ***cough* **-have doomed us all. ... Why must it come down to this? You unknowingly let yourself be controlled by them, the Yogs...! Remember who you- AAAAAAGH-!" I flinched at this happening before my eyes. Future me stabbed through Dave's armor and his head with an unknown blade, splitting them open in a bloody mess. "Th-there's no way this can be true...! How would I have been taken under control by them?!" I shook my head in denial. The crystals showed me what I had doubted. In my cave... I sat there, days after Dave went away. Assuming if I had still declined and stayed inside, smoke from a wicked seed got to me before I noticed. I became a tool of destruction for the Yogs to use and to kill Dave and his friends. I then destroyed both the worlds that Primp and Suzuran resided in respectively. At first, I didn't know what to make of all this... but then I slowly seethed with rage. "No one takes advantage of me... and gets away with it…! I'm not going to just be someone else's puppet to destroy both worlds. I may not care about the people living in them, but I surely care about myself… You hear that, Dave?! I'll fight, but for myself ONLY, and I'll do it MY way! I know that you can indeed hear me… show yourself already!" I yelled furiously. "I can't do that, Schezo…" "Expose the truth to me this instant! Why?!" "***sigh*** Schezo, you need to prove yourself worthy before you can wield the weapon that will see to the Yogs' destruction." "Enough with dragging out this bullshit! I want to do this my way, as well as you letting me out of here!" "Not until your heart, mind, and soul are cleansed of the overwhelming darkness surrounding them. It's obvious that even though you are not bad per se, your three things are not in the right place." "Fine! What do I need to do to prove myself _"worthy"_ of this?" "You must navigate your way out of here; climb up a mountain in front of the exit, and participate in a special game. I'm at the top to be part of your final test. I'll see you when you get up there, Schezo." "W-wait!" I called on him, but he did not say anything else. "... If that's what you want… Very well, I'll ace this." I began to look for a way out of this stupid subterranean labyrinth. I had to run from creatures along the way, since I didn't have much to fight with. Eventually, I saw a light appear before me. "Ah-! That must be the exit!" I ran faster to get myself out of there. The light burned my eyes for a few seconds. "... This must be the mountain that Dave meant. What's this sign right here? _"To climb this mountain properly, follow the path up until you see a fork splitting it. Go left and continue your way toward a deep river. You will have to hop across boulders to get to the other side. The rest will be straight-foward and you won't get lost."_ Well, that's good to know…" I did what the sign instructed to do. I followed the path leading up to the fork and went left. The river part of this proved to be far more troublesome than I figured. "With the river's current moving fast like this, one false move… and I am as good as dead." I then noticed a person on one of the boulders, as though they were waiting for me to jump on one of them. "I am here to test you to see if you can think on your feet." The figure told me. "Is that so? What you're saying is that I have to force my way through you, isn't that right?" I figured. "Take it as you will. First, here is a blade for you. I don't like to give myself an unfair advantage." They said. "Ha! You'll regret making this decision." I smirked. "We will see about that…" They turned to face me.

We stood still for a solid minute, then we engaged. Clashing swords, making the most of the space on these boulders, it was definitely tense. I decide to pull a fast one and sweep them from under with my legs. They must have seen that coming, because they jumped away in anticipation. "It's going to take more than that for you to be victorious in this battle." They landed on a different boulder. I decided to chance things and jump to it, so that I could strike. "Yyyaah!" ***sword clash* **"That… was a foolish move." They shoved my blade away with theirs, then performed a spinning attack of sorts. They came to me quickly and there was hardly any time to react properly. "Gah-! Rrrrrr…" I struggled to keep them from slashing me. I tried to hold their sword in place, but they slowly won this clash. _Shit, this is harder than thought… and without any dark magic to help me, this is a losing battle. Still, I refuse to have things end up like that vision! There must be something that I can do to pass this test. If I can't, I'll never be able to get to the top of this mountain and move things along. Come on, think, Schezo! Think! _I began thinking of a way to pass this test while I fought. It wasn't full-proof, but it was better than nothing. "Yah!" I attempted a jab. Expecting them to dodge it, I prepared to grab them. That's when they did the unexpected. They instead grabbed me and tried throwing me into the water. I squirmed as much as I could to break out of their grip. I just barely managed to shake myself free. _Damn it, I'll never get anywhere with this! Whoever this person is, they are unbelievably skilled with a blade. We may have the same weapon... but their swordsmanship is clearly better than mine, which is saying something. I'm looking like a novice by comparison… and that pisses me off! _"YYAAH!" ***sword clash* **"Not bad, but you will have to do a lot better than that." They said. I then took a blow to the gut from their knee. "Oogah-!" My voice cracked. That move left me in bad shape with serious pain. _Wait a second… he didn't use his sword to do that. Maybe there's more to these fights than mostly using your blade. … That's it! I had this whole thing wrong! It's not just the blade that makes a swordsman good. It's also about the dexterity and flexibility of their arms and legs. Why did it take me so long to realize that? It might be because before Dave came along, I never met another swordwielder besides… Lagnus. Even then… Dave wasn't too skilled with his blade, and I had brute-forced my way in defeating Lagnus all those years ago._

I knew exactly what to do from that moment onward. I remained calm as I blocked strikes and seized the perfect opportunity. "Hrr-yaah!" "Ah-!" I landed a swift uppercut, just like what Rulue did to me a good while ago. This caused the person to fly and land in the water, then to be swept away by the current. But then... they mustered the strength to swim back to the side I seeked. "You have passed the test." They told me. "You'll let me pass?" "Yes." "... I have a quick question, who are you?" "Let's just say that I am a reimagining of somebody you know. Well… I'll allow you to take a sneak peek at my face." They showed me their face, and was one that I recognized. "C-Comet Warlock?!" "No... I am not Lemres, but I have the face and vocal tone of him now." "I should have guessed that you weren't… he was never any good at sword technique. And he doesn't talk so… formally." "You should go now, your final test awaits at the summit." The Comet Warlock look-alike vanished from my sight. "To the top, huh? That's what things keep telling me to do, like as though I'm a child who forgets things..." I went through the rest of the path to reach the mountain's peak. "D-Dave, I am here!" I panted and saw him. "I can see that, Schezo. I'm impressed, you have managed to pass the midpoint test from the look of it. But… it's not over yet, you still have your final test." "... You said that I am to participate in this special game you mentioned, what is it?" "Allow me to explain thoroughly… although, you only get to hear this once, so listen. What we are about to play is a game quite similar to one I played back in my world. Here are the rules to go by: To start the game, we engage in rock, paper, scissors to determine who goes first. Whoever wins it gets to decide to go either first or second. You see, in this game, we each take turns in choosing what to place down on this field. These are what we'll be placing on the field." "Cards?" "Yes, cards. There are four basic types of cards: _"Creature Cards"_, _"Conjure Cards"_, _"Bait Cards"_, and _"Skill Cards"_. Creature Cards are the infantry that you bring forth to the field. They all have stats that dictate how strong they are. Each creature has a specific number of diamonds on the top right corner. This generally signifies how strong a Creature Card is. Additionally, there is _"Offense" _and _"Resilience"_... labeling exactly how strong the Creature really is. The discrepancy between estimates and exacts will come into play shortly, in case you were wondering… these cards can be placed face-up straight, face-down straight, and face-down sideways. The first two correspond to leaving the creatures in an attack stance, and the last one relates to placing them in a defending stance. What's the purpose of all this, you may ask? See those numbers next to each side of the field right there? The big one represents how much life you have left. It's abbreviated as CP: Or, if you want the actual term, _"Continue Points"_. Each time that one of your attack stanced creatures is killed by one of mine... or vice versa, one CP is eliminated. Each player starts with five and whoever loses all five is the loser. Fallen creatures are sent to the _"Mausoleum" _and stay there for the most part. Let me go back to the diamonds for a second. I mentioned how the number of them on a creature generally dictates their strength. The diamonds represent tiers for them and so… creatures that are of tiers four and below tend to be more common. They make up the majority of your creature stockpile in the deck. The higher tiers is where things get interesting. Tiers five and six are uncommon. Then finally, tiers seven are eight consist of the rarest and most powerful creatures in the game. You can see right here... how many creatures of each tier you are allowed to have in your deck. They also have their own abilities to apply to situations. The other thing you see by the CP is your SL, or _"Summoning Level"_. At the start of the game, both players begin with one SL, regardless of who goes first. And, at the start of each of your turns, you gain two SL. You can spend SL to bring forth your creatures, if you have enough that is. You could pass your turns to build up SL, but make sure you have a creature at all times. Tier eight creatures are one per deck for a reason. You see, if the opponent doesn't have a creature out... they're the only ones that can attack the opponent directly. If they land a successful attack this way, you automatically lose. But, enough about the Creature Cards, let's shift over to Conjure Cards."

I was understandably overwhelmed by the information, but I wasn't confused about any of the rules either. I felt like the Creature Card part was the bulk of the game. "... Alright, Schezo… these are Conjure Cards. They have a power that can be considered _"magic" _for this game. Normally, you can only play them on your turn, just like the creatures. Spoiler alert, Bait Cards work differently. But yeah, unless the Conjure Card is a Quick-Time Conjure… these cards are usually restricted to your turn with their various effects." "Usually?" "You might see that for yourself, Schezo. Other than that, Conjure Cards are simple to follow. Bait Cards have to be placed face-down first for a full turn; after that though, they can be triggered during either players' turn. That's if the conditions of the card can be met… You'll figure them out as you go along. Both Conjure and Bait Cards are placed in this area. You'll only be able to put face-down up to five of either type at one time, so be aware of that. Lastly, Skill Cards. Each player carries one skill card with them at all times, however… Depending on what the cards asks of the player to accomplish, it can't really be used in most instances. Think of it as like a trump card of sorts, your last-ditch effort to try and secure a game in your favor. Let's see... any other miscellaneous rules that I forgot to go over? … Oh-! I can't believe I forgot to say this! Both of us start with five cards in our hand. You start your turn by drawing the top card of your deck. If you run out of cards to draw from where your deck is, you'll lose. Well? Any questions before we begin, Schezo?" "No. You're going down, Dave!" "We'll see… Anyway, choose a deck from here. There's plenty of different ones to pick from." "..." I ended up deciding on this hell-like deck. I saw that these creatures had both a race and element associated with each of them. _He might have forgotten to tell me anything about these races and attributes… It matters not, I just need to be able to defeat Dave. _"Now, pick a skill card that you think will prove to be useful." He said. I did so and walked to my side of the field. "Are you ready, Schezo? This will not be an easy feat to accomplish, I assure you." "Heh, I was hoping it wouldn't be. It'll be more satisfying to defeat you after at least some struggle. I may be new to this game, but let's see if the student can outsmart the teacher, Dave!" "Even while wearing an uncertain face, you intend to go through with this. Prepare yourself, Schezo: This will be the ultimate test to see if you are worthy." _This is it… we're about to kick off the rock, paper, scissors thing to decide the fate of the game._

* * *

**Author's Notes: Schezo was taken to an unknown place to be tested for whether or not he is worthy. He still wanted to do things his way after deciding to join in the fight against those Yogs. Dave instructed Schezo to find the exit of the tunnel, climb a mountain to the top, and to defeat him in a game. We now find Schezo preparing all he has in winning the game. He listened to the mechanics and rules of this game, then picked a deck and skill card to play with. How will Schezo win the game against Dave of all people? Next chapter, Chapter 45: A Life-Changing Game.**


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45: A Life-Changing Game**

We engaged in rock, paper, scissors in silence. "..." We didn't say anything until our choices were revealed. "Haha! Rock triumphs EVERY time! It looks like I _"rocked" _your world, Dave." I said with a smirk. "Oh haha, veeery funny, Schezo… another of your miswordings, I presume?" He sighed. "Sh-shut up! … Anyway, I'll take the first move." I told him. I drew my starting hand, then drew one more card to start the turn. Looking at the cards I had, I began to think of how to go through with this. _I drew a decently powerful one, a tier four creature. I can't bring it out yet, I only have three at the moment. The only other one that I can put on the field is this weak tier 1 creature. Is it even worth it? As long as he doesn't bring out the tier eight of his deck, I should be fine. _"I will place this card face-down… and turn things over to you." "Is that seriously it, Schezo? I was honestly expecting a bit more from you… Oh wait, you didn't have a tier three or lower creature to bring out, am I right?" "... Tch. You're not wrong…" "What a shame… tsk tsk tsk." "Hey! Don't you _"tsk" _at me!" "It seems your bad misfortune is still overpowering your desire to win. I draw. I'll set this creature down in the resilience stance… and play the Conjure Card, _"Magical Confiscation"_. This card allows me to randomly send one of the cards in your hand packing. Say goodbye to whatever card gets taken by the elf, because it's going in the Mausoleum." "A-ah!" _Phew… it didn't take my creature. I think I may have the luck and Dave doesn't know it._ "With that, I end my turn." _I don't get it… why did he set that mystery creature down? Actually... what's even the point in doing that to begin with, besides blocking a tier eight creature's attack that is? Hm… there must be more to this than meets the eye. _"I draw." _I now have at least four SL to use. The question is though: Do I want to actually commit to it now? Attacking his set creature would be pointless. Plus, there's that face-down card… most likely a bait. … What is this card I just drew? "Sneaky Gremlin", it's one of those creatures with special abilities. It triggers when it's flipped face-up… it sends one creature your opponent controls of your choosing to the Mausoleum, then you can have your opponent lose one CP?! Does it matter which stance? If not, then this is excellent. … I hear the card calling to me, saying that I'm allowed to manually flip it face-up after a full turn of being set. Well look at this… another thing Dave didn't tell me. I'm starting to think that he did it on purpose. I'm really getting a bargain out of this creature. It's only tier one and so efficient. _"I set one creature down in the resilience stance and play _"A Conjurer's Gluttony"_. The power of this Conjure Card allows me to draw three cards, but then I have to discard one card from my hand and also give up two SL. I end my turn, Dave." "That's a potent Conjure Card, Schezo. Drawing three cards from one is a rare thing in this game. Not like it changes much into your favor. I draw. Niiiice. I play the Conjure Card, _"SL Booster"_. When my next turn rolls around, this card is sent to the Mausoleum and the SL I would normally gain is doubled." "Wh-what?!" "In other words, I'll gain four SL instead of two for that turn only. I would be afraid if I were you, Schezo…" _He's setting himself up to bring out his tier eight! Dammit, now I need to save the gremlin for that. _"With that, I set this creature face-down in the offense stance and end my turn." _Whatever creature that one might be, it's a tier four. He'll get all of that SL back on his next turn, as if he never used it. _"I draw. Let's see here… I don't have much to use. I'll pass my turn, Dave." "Pass? Okay… For you feeling motivated to win this, you sure aren't doing a whole lot." "Blame my deck." "Fine. I draw. My SL Booster card now goes to the Mausoleum, and I get four SL as opposed to two. But… I think I want some more SL. I use the ability of _"SL Warrior" _from my hand." "Fr-from your what?!" "Oh yes… a creature ability from the hand. Didn't see that one coming, did you, Schezo? You see, by sending it from my hand to the Mausoleum, as well as a resilience stanced creature I control… I automatically gain one SL." _He's got six SL now! On his next turn, he can pull out a tier eight if he wants to. It's fine though, I have the gremlin to counter his incoming creature. He will never know what hit him… _

"I end my turn, Schezo." "My turn, then! Haaa! Damn…" "What's wrong? Not drawing anything useful still?" "Shut. Up! Mind your own business, Dave! … Tch. I'll pass again." "My turn again. Draw. Schezo, I think it's about time that I start going on the offensive." "...!" _Here he goes…! _"Using all eight of my SL… I bring forth a tier eight creature, one of likes you've never seen before! Come, Bright Sky Knight!" _All of that offense… it's over three thousand… I don't know if I have anything that can beat it in a fight. _"I'll now go into battle. Flipping over my tier four monster, Flame Priestess, and have it attack your face-down resilience stanced creature!" "Haha, you fool! Reveal face-down creature, Sneaky Gremlin!" "...!" "Ha! I see that your face is growing pale, Dave. Thanks to the special ability of this creature, Sneaky Gremlin allows me to send one of your creatures to the Mausoleum when it's flipped face-up. Do your thing!" "N-no! My knight! … Just when I thought you had nothing… I get curb-stomped by a flip-based creature. This will not stand, Schezo. My Flame Priestess will finish attacking and take out that annoyance!" "Hrrr…! Thankfully for me... Sneak Gremlin has another part of its ability to resolve. Since your knight was sent to the Mausoleum by this creature, I'm able to eliminate one of your C… P! Gah! ... That fire is hot…" I witnessed my gremin turning to ash and bones after being engulfed in flames. "... My CP… This means war." "Bring it." "Alright, you asked for it, Schezo. Let's see if you can go beyond the initial test boundaries and beat me. I end my turn." "If you're done weeping over the loss of your knight, I'll make my move. Draw! Heh… things are about to swing into my favor. Time to bring out the tier four monster, _"Shadow Prince"_! I then play the Conjure Card, _"Stealth Strike"_." "Eh? What does it do?" "Ah… Finally a card that you don't know what it does. Allow me to explain it to you... This card allows me to select one of my creatures on the field. As long as that creature remains face-up on the field, I can bypass any creatures of yours and attack you directly like a tier eight creature can." "Wh-what…? How is this possible?!" "I see that you are panicking from this. Worry not… if I attack you directly in this way, you only lose half of one CP. And that's why I'm now going to attack your Flame Priestess first with my Shadow Prince. He boasts higher offense than her, standing tall with 1900 compared to 1700. Shadow Prince, take out his priestess now! Shadow Order!" "Gaaah! I'll get you back for that, Schezo. Don't think that you've won yet, not by a long-shot! If you're done, I'd like to go start my turn. Ha! I play the Conjure Card, _"Creature Rebirth"_! This will grant me the power to revive one of my fallen creatures from the Mausoleum at the cost of two CP. Agh-! Come to me once more... Bright Sky Knight!" "Ah-! Impossible… I just got rid of that damn knight!" "Well, he's back for round two, Schezo. My knight, attack and take out his prince before it has a chance to get me directly! Daytime Slash!" "Hrrrr… AAAH! … Tch. It's like I feel the pain that my creatures feel… I despise it. But… I at least got some good out of losing Shadow Prince and that one CP." "Just what could you possibly be insinuating, Schezo?" "Come now, have you forgotten that I still have a card on the field to play this turn, Dave." "...! N-no! It can't be- Your face-down card from earlier!" "Precisely, you have failed to remember that I set it on the very first turn of the game. I set off the Bait Card, _"Revive and Combine"_! I"ll tell you how it works, for I'm fairly certain that even you don't know what this card does." "No, I don't, Schezo." "I bring back two of my fallen creatures from the Mausoleum, but their abilities are wiped. Not like it will matter in this grand scheme of mine, because these guys are to be combined into a new creature. I do this by removing them from the game, then I can unleash this special creature from my hand or deck that cannot be played like a normal creature. The conditions to call forth this behemoth require me to use up a creature from the _"Warrior" _race, and one from the _"Fiend"_ race. I bid my Shadow Prince and Sneaky Gremlin farewell and call upon- Gremlark, King of Fiends! Bright Sky Knight... prepare to meet your absolute end!" "Wh-what is this?! I've never seen a creature such as this before! A _"Combination Creature"_?!"

I could see how bewildered and distraught Dave was when he saw Gremlark making an appearance on the field. This king of fiends had an offense stat of 4500, more than enough to kick Bright Sky Knight's ass. "Haha! Looks like I am going to win after all. You're not as knowledgeable or good at this as I originally thought you were. Sure, you got a good hit in with Bright Sky Knight just now… but you also sacrificed two of your CP to do so. Down by four so far, you only have one left. On the next turn, I'll attack your vulnerable knight with Gremlark and win. How do you feel, knowing that I'll pass this whole thing you made for me, Dave?" "Schezo… you may have performed well, even doing something that I never knew you can do… but none of that means anything until you actually beat me. And, I don't intend on just handing you the big _"w"_! I set this card face-down and end my turn." "It's over for you! Draw! Gremlark, attack and annihilate Bright Sky Knight!" "You're attacking me, even though my face-down is obviously a Bait Card?" "Hmph. Baits don't work on Gremlark, that's why I'm not hesitating." "... Either way, I'm not using this bait on him, but rather his attack. Bait Card, trigger! _"Pinned Down"_! This card not only stops your creature's attack for this turn, but it also average's out our CP." "H-huh? Wait… care to explain…? _What is he doing?_ "Come on, Schezo… you may be a stupid pervert, but I know you're not dumb." "H-hey! I am NOT a pervert!" "_*sigh* _For the few months I have known you, you ARE a pervert in my book. No matter how much you deny it... it's who you are. Yes, sometimes you don't mean to-" "Can you JUST explain to me what your Bait Card does in Layman's terms already?!" "Okay! ... You don't have to yell at me, Schezo… Basically after stopping your attack, since my CP amount is lower than yours… I gain CP and you lose CP until we both are at the same amount. The difference between our counts is three CP. Thus, I gain one and a half CP and you lose that same amount. Now we both sit equally with two and a half CP." After Dave said this, my mind scrambled to find a good solution to this stalling of his. _Shit! What do I do now?! Knowing Dave, he's going to put his knight in the resilience stance next turn and his CP will be safe. Gremlark doesn't have a tier, so it can't do what tier eight creatures can… Damn it! It'll be difficult to get myself in an advantageous position again. What CAN I do to circumvent this roadblock? Unless I can draw the one tier eight monster from my deck, I won't be getting anywhere. I should at least send Bright Sky Knight packing for the second and last time. He won't lose CP, but at least his biggest threat will be gone. _"Uh, Schezo…? SCHEZO!" "H-huh?!" "Do you end your turn or not?" "Oh. Tch. I end my damn turn… Go ahead... switch the stance of your knight, I'm calling your move." "You would be correct to think so, not like I have a choice at this point. I HAVE to switch the stance of Bright Sky Knight... otherwise, I'll lose in an admittedly stupid way. Draw! Bright Sky Knight, shield yourself. I'll end my turn after that." "My turn once more, Dave. Gremlark, obliterate his knight!" "Gah! You have defended me well, my friend…" "I set this card face-down and end my turn." "... ***pant* **Schezo, this game of ours will still continue for a while. I'm not through y-" "But you will be soon enough." "... I draw my card. Argh… there's nothing that I can do. I'll pass this turn." "Then I draw once again!" At this point, both of us had kept passing our turns for a good bit.

**Ringo's POV**

"***sigh*** What's taking Dave so long?" I wondered. Me and everyone else had already sat at the cave entrance for a while. Ex came back not too long after Dave left us. "This is ridiculous, how long does it take just to convince one person to help?" He commented. "Yeah, it's… worrying to say the least." Klug cleaned his glasses. Rulue stood up, giving us a sign that she was going somewhere. "Ms. Rulue, where are you going?" Raffina wondered. "***sigh*** Raffina… I'm not only worried for Dave, but for that stupid pervert too. I'm going to check up on them." She said adamantly. "H-hold on! Don't go by yourself, it's dangerous!" I stood up and tried to stop her. I felt a hand grab one of my shoulders. "Ringo, I know that you're concerned as well, but please… I think she wants to do this herself. Ms. Rulue is not weak in the slightest, she can hold her own if she needs to." Ms. Accord told me. "B-but…" I stuttered. "Get a grip, Ringo. I promise that I'll drag those two over here! I get that you love Dave so much, just have some faith in me." Rulue drilled the words into my head. "... O-okay. I just want him to be fine." I said to her. "Heh. I'll make damn sure that he's okay. I care about him too, with him being a student that I taught CQC to… I'll be back!" She ran off. "***sigh* **Please come back to me, Dave…" I softly wished.

**Rulue's POV**

I dashed through the woods, making my way to Schezo's cave. _I just wonder how Schezo is making this go on for so long. I know that he's stubborn, but… no person should have the level of endurance to last through somebody such as Dave. _"How? How is he resisting Dave so much?" I asked myself that question out loud. "R-Rulue?!" I heard somebody notice me. "Who's there?! Show yourself!" I demanded. "D-don't you remember my voice, Rulue? I'm somebody who always tried my best to treat you well!" "Huh...? Why do you sound… so familiar? Please, show yourself." "Rulue, it's me!" The individual revealed himself to me and I felt stupid for forgetting about him. It was Minotauros, though I just refer to him as Mino. He was a servant of mine back when I was in my world. As his name would suggest, he's half-man, and half-bull. At this point, I haven't seen him since the last moments of me being there, which was quite a few years ago. "M-Mino...! What are you doing here?" "I was just about to ask the same thing. I missed you so much, Rulue! My life did not have much in the way of meaning when I couldn't serve you. A-anyway… I came through what seemed to be a one-way portal from our world to here. At the time... it was a little after when you disappeared, so I figured that you traveled to another world in the same way." "Is it just me… or are you actually smart now, Mino? Oh, not at all. I'm mostly still the stupid cow that you would call me back in the day. As for how I got to figure things out, I was given info from an old acquaintance that you should be somewhat familiar with." "Who, Mino?" "Does the name _"Zoh Daimaoh" _ring a bell?" "... Zoh… Oh, you mean the elephant?" "Yeah." "I remember that he also came to this world. He was a contestant of a fighting tournament that I participated in; that was the first time I saw him since coming to this world. I don't know where he is now… he's always been a loner... like that stupid pervert, except productive with his alone time." "By _"stupid pervert"_, you mean Schezo, right?" "Of course, who else could I be referring to? Stupid cow…" "Rulue? Are you feeling alright? You don't sound so… uh… you know…?" "Angry? ***sigh* **Mino, I'm fine. I've learned to control my anger within the past few years. Besides, I can't be bothered to get mad at you in this circumstance. You've only just met back up with me after all this time." "I-is that so? You have indeed changed…" _I hope that what he just said was a compliment. I can't tell whether or not it is one. If he likes me for how I was before… he must be a masochist… _

"Mino, I'll be heading towards a cave on my own now…" "Why are you going to a cave, Rulue?" "Honestly, I don't think your tiny cow brain can understand why. The reason is linked to a complicated issue." "H-hey! I said that I was _"mostly" _the same stupid cow that you know from the past! I've gotten a bit smarter since then." "Okay, how smart then? I'm waiting for a good answer. Are you at least smart enough to not be so reckless? The last time that you mindlessly went in to protect me…" "***gasp*** -Was when I shielded you from a giant eyeball! I… I remember that… Y-yes, I'm no longer dumb enough to do something like that without considering my own level of resilience, Rulue. I-is that a good enough answer?" "... … Yeah, it… is. I remember that time too… ***sigh* **I was actually worried for you when you took the full force of that Yog's beam. After that, you were bedridden for what seemed to be forever. By the time that we had dealt with all the Yogs, Yoggus, and Yog Swartus… you had just recovered and greeted me after everything was resolved." "You were actually… worried for me?" "Not entirely... but the event still hit me hard on the emotional side." "Rulue… Well, I can't make you stay here for what's left of the day, now can I? If you feel like you need to go to a cave, then go there. I won't question or stop you, you can tell me all the details when you come back." "It seems like all that time allowed you to develop better manners too, Mino." "Hahaha! You think so? Well, I have matured a little, I'll admit." "I'll be going now." I left Mino and came up to the cave. "There it is… Schezo's cave. Come to think of it… have I EVER been inside it before? I don't think I have…" I began to walk inside. As I got farther into the cave, the darker it became. That would soon change though, with light twinkling in front of me. "... Honestly, for a man cave… this surprisingly has good living conditions. ***gasp*** Dave! ...Eh?" I looked at a scene that I didn't expect. Both Dave and Schezo were not moving outside of occasional unconscious breathing. They almost looked like statues that faced each other. "I-is that a light coming out of Dave's hand?" No matter what I did, there was nothing that I could do to wake them from this _"trance"_. "Hm? What's that bookshelf over there? It seems reeeeally out of place compared to everything else here. I wonder why…" When I took a closer look at what kinds of books rested there, my signature fury came back for a bit. "Why am I not surprised… OF COURSE HE WOULD HAVE THESE KINDS OF BOOKS! What is wrong with him?! That… stupid pervert! When he wakes up from whatever Dave is doing to him… HE'LL FEEL ME THE FULL WRATH OF ME, THE FIGHTING QUEEN! … ... ***sigh* **He is seriously a degenerate… what the hell...? The worst part about this is that I have to stay here for who knows how long. Dammit, Dave… what's taking you so long to persuade that stupid-? … I should stop. Complaining about it isn't going to be good for my mental health."

**Raffina's POV**

For a while, Ms. Rulue did not return. The woman that I look up to, I grew worried for her. When I saw an opportunity, I slipped away from the others and ran in the direction she went in. I met up with somebody at a point. "Uh, hey… have you seen a woman with wavy blue hair come by here recently?" I asked. "Why, sure I did. I saw Rulue go over there to find a cave." "You know her?" "Of course, I was her servant for a long while in the past. The name's Minotauros, what's yours?" "Raffina." "Huh… You know, you remind me of Rulue quite a bit." "That well… I look up to her, Minotauros. I was in love with her fighting queen levels of strength. I want to be just like her when I get a little older." "I see, you praise her for the power she carries. A strong woman is bound to be a dependable one. Speaking of strong though, I smell trouble up ahead. I hope this doesn't come off as an offense, Raffina… but I want to be with you in case you're attacked." "Interesting proposition, but I'll kindly decline. I may not be as strong as Ms. Rulue, but I can hold my own." "P-please, I insist! This trouble might be for Rulue too. As a servant of hers… I cannot fail at my duty." "***sigh* **Very well then, escort me if you know the way a little." "I can locate her scent, Raffina. I AM technically an animal, so my nose is sharp." "Sure, whatever leads us to that one cave..." I followed Minotauros as he persisted in smelling out for Rulue. A while after, that trouble he spoke of took form. "...! Raffina, take cover!" "What?! Arrows?!" "O-ow! One nipped me in the leg!" "M-Minotauros! Are you gonna be okay?!" "Don't worry, I've been through worse... but damn that HURTS! Who are those bastards shooting at us? Raffina, take a better look for me. I can't get out of cover like this." After he told me to, I swiftly looked at where the arrows came from before taking cover again. "Little… elf guys?" "***sigh* **Those must be little shooters… they don't know when to stop randomly attacking people. Is there a way to get them to run off?" "Well they're on trees, so I think it's best to shake them off. I have enough power to do so and then some." I came out from cover once again and jumped at a tree trunk. "Hiiiiiyaaah!" I kicked it ferociously. The little shooters on that tree wobbled and fell over. They panicked, screamed, and ran away in fear. I moved over to other trees and did the same thing. This process continued until all of the little shooters left running. I came back to Minotauros, who had since pulled the arrow out of his leg. "Yup, I expected it as much… it's bleeding. Raffina, I know that this is asking much out of you… but I need help." "It'll be of little trouble Minotauros, I'll get somebody!" "Heh… hehehe… Thank you." I left him after he winced to get Ex. "***pant pant* **Mr. Ex, I need your help…!" I alerted him. "R-Raffina! Where were you?! You just disappeared from us without a trace and we were worried!" He ran up to me. "Look, we don't have a lot of time. I left because I was worried for Ms. Rulue. Along the way, I met with this guy and he offered to come with me. After a bit, he got shot with an arrow! I promised him that I would get help, so I went to you." "... Alright, Raffina. Everyone else, stay here please. Ms. Accord, look after the kids for me." He said and Ms. Accord nodded to his words. "Of course, Mr. Ex." She responded. I showed Ex the way to Minotauros. "Is this the guy, Raffina?" "Yeah, he said that he was a servant for Ms. Rulue in years past. His name is Minotauros." I introduced him. "Okay, where's the wound?" Ex checked. "Wh-who are you?" Minotauros wondered. "Ex, the one who's gonna help you. Here's what will happen… I'll transform into this… Hrah! Then, you hold on to me; I'll fly you to a healer." Ex told him. "S-sure… Ugh, I feel strange... That arrow must have done something else…" Minotauros said. "Could it be poison?" I guessed. "I dunno, but I'm becoming weak as hell… Sorry, Raffina… it looks like you'll have to continue on your own to find Rulue." He apologized. "It's fine, I just want to see you come out of this okay." I said to him. "If you two are done talking…" Ex readied for flight. "Go now, Raffina..." Minotauros advised me.

I nodded and ran for the area that I assumed the cave was at. "I-is this it? I mean, it IS a cave, but is it the cave that I'm looking for? Well, there's only one way to find out and I'm not going to know if I just stand here…" I walked inside. My eyes slowly adjusted to the temporary darkness. When I got to this shiny part of the cave, my eyes burned a little. "... …! Ms. Rulue!" I called out to her. "R-Raffina? What are you doing here? I told you guys that I would be fine." "Yeah, well… I had this worrying feeling in my chest, so I went after you. I will say… I never knew that you once had a servant." "Y-you met Mino?" "Y-yeah, he wanted to help me find you… only because he thought that I would need help. After some time going in the direction you went, we were ambushed by those little shooter guys. Minotauros… was shot with an arrow and claims that he is growing weak." "***gasp*** It must have been the little poison shooters! Oh God… Mino, you stupid cow... Will he be alright, Raffina? Where is he?" "He's being carried by Ex over to a place to be healed. The only issue to that is a lack of an antidote for the poison. ***sigh* **Where is an actual pharmacy when you need one?" "A… what?" "You don't know what a pharmacy is, Ms. Rulue?" "No, I don't..." "It's a place that sells medicine for certain illnesses or to treat things." "Oh, you mean an apothecary?" "It's practically interchangeable for us, but yes, that's what I meant. A-anyway, what's going on with Dave and that pervert? Why do they both look unconscious?" "I don't really know to be honest… and I can't seem to wake them either." "So what, we have no choice but to wait?!" "It made me irate too, but yes… there is no other choice." "Damn it. … Huh...? That bookshelf looks really out of place…" "Um, I would suggest that you don't look at the books there, Raffina…" "W-why?" "Well… who's cave are we in right now?" "That perv- … Are you kidding me…? Is this SERIOUSLY a joke?! All of these books are dirty in some way, shape, or form?! That asshole already looks at me funny when we do see each other… I can't believe that he's STILL willing to be perverted!" "Raffina… that guy never quits… He may claim that he doesn't mean to sound like one, but in his mind… he IS perverted at the root of it all. That's why women like us have to beat him up, so that he is taught a lesson. We find it to be a sin when a guy, and the guy alone, thinks of something perverted involving himself and a girl. Now, it's perfectly fine if the guy and girl are in a relationship together and are both okay with it… Schezo clearly doesn't love any women and ONLY thinks about the looks. A quick question if you don't mind… Has he ever tried to touch you?" "N-no, he hasn't." "Then you should count yourself lucky and look on the bright side… Unlike me, you have not been violated by him. In the past, he has touched me in places that I didn't approve of. Even in recent times, he had his hand on one of my breasts. ... Also… the first time that Schezo saw Yui, when we had brought her life... his nose bled." "Is there no redemption for this bastard...?" "Nope, not when it comes to having a dirty mind. At least Dave laid a smackdown on him. Quoting Dave's reaction to Schezo, word-for-word: _"Dude, are you seriously-…? Get a damn grip!"_.I was shocked by him not even hesitating to pound Schezo's head." "Well, duh. Dave is a good, responsible, and fine guy." "Not as straightforward as one would think of him, Raffina. Dave is a person that always carries doubts with him. His moral compass makes him stop at times, without even thinking of it. Strong hesitation unconsciously resides within him… despite wielding the power of both a demon and a dragon. But I digress..." After she stopped talking, we waited together.

**Schezo's POV **

The game was getting down to the wire, each of us only had one CP left. It was currently Dave's turn... and had himself well protected with a resilience stanced creature, as well as a face-down card. "Schezo, I set a card face-down… and I'll see what you can do." He decided. _I think I'm finally beginning to see why Dave is trying to change me so badly. Now, I still don't like it too much at the moment… but I can see it. He wants me to enjoy life, much like how everyone else enjoys it. If I'm going to live this life… I might as well make it exciting for myself. Sitting in a cave constantly is mundane and boring. And maybe I can finally prove myself to be a formidable foe to anyone. If there's anything that this huge test of climbing up a mountain and playing this game with Dave has taught me… it's to have me believe in myself, strategize, and never give up. Dave, I may not like you at the end of the day… but I appreciate you trying your hardest to get me outside to feel exhilarating things. My fate, as well as everyone else's, rests on this next draw. _"Dave… are you ready?! This next draw will seal the deal for this game! I draaaaaw! … Heh. I have to give you a minor thank you, Dave." "Eh...? What for? I didn't do anything for you." "Within the context of this game alone… no you did not, but… You helped me see a new side to things after going through this test of yours. You helped me feel... a certain feeling that I was missing in my life: Exhilaration. Thinking back to how I live alone in a stupid cave has taught me something important… it's boring and meaningless. Why should I waste away, doing nothing productive... when I can just have fun fighting things? Thinking about this new thought now makes my very blood boil! That's at least when I'm in the mood to do so. I'm still not within that mood, but as a token of thanks… I'll help you take down those Yogs for my own benefit. To prove this: I'll beat you… THIS TURN! Be ready, because I'm going to hit hard!" "Bring it, Schezo… Let me see your new-found resolve!" "I wouldn't call it _"resolve"_, but… I do have the will and cards to win! I have more than enough SL in the vault for this. I give up eight SL for this creature right here in my hand; come forth, _"Hellfire Dullahan"_!" "I will admit that it's a formidable warrior on horseback… but I have two face-down cards! Do you honestly think that either one of your powerhouse creatures can avoid them entirely?" "Not on their own, but I have something else that will quite literally blow you away! I play the Conjure Card, _"Gryphon's Gale Storm"_! This card eliminates each and every Conjure and Bait Card on the field, regardless of position!" "...! Gah! My two baits!" "It'll be all over after I take out your face-down creature! Gremlark, attack it now!" "It's not over yet, Schezo! Because… the creature you just attacked is one called _"Rubber Man"_. This creature can't be taken out in battle, so you're out of luck." "Heh… not quite." "H-huh?" "Unlike YOUR tier eight, mine has a useful special ability. You see, when it attacks one of your resilience stanced creatures… it snatches away one half of a CP!" "What?!" "Do your work, Dullahan!" "G-gah! Damn! How do I not know some of your cards?!" "I don't know that myself, Dave. You just seem to inevitably forget some things. But... just one more strike, one more and it will be my victory." "Schezo, there's a saying associated with this game that I go by: _"The game's not over until the last card's played_". As I see things now, I have one turn left. I know there's still one card in my deck that can destroy that dullahan..." "Fine. I end my turn, begin your final turn…" "I will. … … It's now or never… Draaaaaw! … … I end my turn, finish me, Schezo." "It looks like in the end… your deck failed you. Draw. ... Hellfire Dullahan, attack Rubber Man and erase the last half of his CP!" "G-GAAAAAAAH!" The last portion of Dave's CP was gone; thus, I was declared by the game as the winner. Dave fell to the ground and stayed there for a few seconds. He got up and approached me slowly. "Congratulations, Schezo… you have passed the test. I will now bring us both back to consciousness." "About time…" He flashed me again and the next thing I knew, I was back in my cave. "Ooough… it's good to be back…" I said to myself as I recovered. Dave was also waking up from this. "Damn... I hope that I'll never have to resort to something like that for another person ever again…" Dave muttered. "D-Dave!" I heard a familiar voice. "Rulue…?" Dave noticed. "Ah-! Wh-what are you two doing in my cave?! I never gave anyone permission to come inside!" I yelled at Rulue and the other girl. "Excuse me? We only came individually because Dave took so long trying to get you to help us!" Rulue lashed back at me. "Besides, we now have a bone to pick you with you. Answer us this question: What the hell is all of this?!" The girl pointed at my bookshelf. "...!" I couldn't say anything in my defense, they found my porn collection. "Schezo…?" Dave looked at me funny, then took a peek at one of the books with a serious expression. "So this is where your collection was at… looks like Lemres wasn't kidding. ... You perverted son of a…!" _Comet Warlock told Dave about that?!_ He shoved a book back on the shelf, then transformed into his signature armor. "W-wait! It's not what it looks like!" "Honestly, Schezo… how on Earth can you possibly defend yourself under these circumstances? Three people have already seen this collection of yours. I don't think you are in ANY position to plead innocent. This proves without a shadow of a doubt… you ARE a pervert!" He grabbed hold of me. "L-let me go! I'll do anything, just please don't hurt me, you three!" I promised. "Nah… I don't think that's going to work out. I believe what you need to learn from this is pain. First, we're taking YOU outside." Dave said to me before he dragged me. "N-no! Stop!" I struggled. He took me outside while the other two followed him.

**Dave's POV**

It didn't matter how much Schezo tried, he couldn't escape my grip. "Alright… how should we give you the pain? It's problematic, because we can't hurt you too badly. You're needed to fight with us against the Yogs. But… I think I may have a solution to this. Rulue, Raffina… kick him away in that direction, towards the lake." I proposed. "With pleasure…" Rulue grinned. "We'll have this bastard flying to the lake in no time!" Raffina tensed up. They prepared to run at Schezo, who I still held firm. I planned to let go of him at the last second, so he could be sent flying alone. "Raffina, how about we combine our kicks into one attack? It'll show that pervert." Rulue thought about doing. "To share an attack with the one I idolize? You bet!" She nodded. It was incredible, the two looked perfectly in sync with one another and then... they went for it. "Rainbow Wing Kick!" They unleashed. "Nonononono-!" Schezo rocked back and forth helplessly. I found the opportunity to let him go. "See you at the lake, Schezo!" I bid him farewell. "Ough-! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" He screamed. "Heh. He flew like a baseball… how comical." I watched his body fly high. ***splash* **"Looks like we landed bullseye, Ms. Rulue!" Raffina heard the splash. "The only thing that sucks about this is that I'll have to retrieve Schezo now. Hold on…" I flew away to the lake. "Time to get you out of there…" I lowered to the water's surface. "***pant pant***" Schezo tried to swim to the shallow area, but couldn't. "Hold on tight, Schezo. I'll get you out of there and take you back to your cave. "M-mercy! I'll get rid of those books and magazines if that's what they want! ***pant***" "Well… let's see if that's what Rulue and Raffina want you to do. But for sure… they would want you to apologize to them. Make them see that you truly do feel sorry. Be a gentleman, Schezo. Also, tell them that you will help us." "I-I will!" "Good." I took the dark mage back to his cave where Rulue and Raffina stood by. I dropped Schezo softly on the ground and made him kneel. "Go on, tell them." I made him speak. "R-Rulue and…" Schezo stopped. "Raffina. My name is Raffina." Raffina told him. "R-right… Rulue and Raffina… From the bottom of my heart: I want to apologize deeply for possessing that collection. I am truly sorry… Also, I wanted to say that I'll help you all deal with the Yogs. Before… I was being a stubborn idiot. I didn't realize that staying in a cave for all my life would prove to be pointless. I might as well as fight and kill things that are of pure evil. Heh. That might prove to be a job that I can get… but I digress. The point is: I want to show you that I can improve to be a person with actual decency. Dave, I still don't like you… but you're the reason why I decided to be more productive. So, Rulue and Raffina… can you forgive me on behalf of helping you and the others? I promise that I will not make up anymore dirty thoughts about the girls. I promise that I'll dispose of those books and magazines. I promise that I'll keep up my end of things and wield the new sword you'll give me. I promise that I will side with Dave for this time. If you need any time to think about your decision, that's okay. I'll wait here; still kneeling on the ground." He finished. Rulue and Raffina walked over to me to talk it over. "Well?" I waited. "I mean… he DID look like he was actually sorry, but…" Rulue doubted slightly. "Yeah… it's hard to go and just forgive him of his pervertedness." Raffina agreed. "No. I sensed a change in Schezo's heart. Maybe it isn't a complete change, but he's definitely different from the Schezo we knew before now. Give him a chance… At the very end of a test that I gave him, he gave me a small thanks." I said. "A… thanks?" Rulue gave a surprised expression. "To you?" Raffina followed up with. "It's difficult to believe, but that's the truth. You guys know that I wouldn't lie, right?" I confirmed. "N-no, it's not that we don't believe you... We just find it to be... unexpected. In all my years ever knowing Schezo... he almost never gives a decent compliment, let alone a thank you." Rulue brought up. "And to me, he didn't seem to be the type of guy that would ever give any sort of compliment; only ever really seeing him as a petty pervert before today." Raffina brought to me. "In any case, we can see that Schezo is willing to help us stop the Yogs. So, will you two forgive him?" I presented to them the question. "... … …" I heard the two whisper to each other inaudibly. "We… will." Rulue told me. "Oh yeah... Dave?" Raffina came close to me. "Yeah, Raffina? What is it?" I wondered. "Ringo misses you and whatnot…" She said. "When doesn't she miss me?" I sighed. "C'mon, you don't wanna have a girl remain sad and alone… go to her. Me and Ms. Rulue will stay here to make things up with the _"former pervert"_." She convinced me. "Alright…" I conceded and flew off.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Schezo was able to turn the tables on Dave in this life-changing game; even giving a small thanks to him. The dark mage himself swore to Rulue and Raffina that he'll help and not be a pervert. However, all is still not good. Minotauros, Rulue's servant, was shot with a poisonous arrow. Raffina got help for the half-man, half-bull in the form of Ex. If that wasn't the worst thing, our cast still has yet to find the Yog that placed a wicked seed in the tunnel; the seed of which caused Sig to be taken control of temporarily. Where is this Yog? Will Schezo's new blade be forged in time? Can Dave and the others prevent any new wicked seeds from spawning? Next chapter, Chapter 46: Curing the Poison.**


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: Curing the Poison**

I returned to the others, but that's when I was greeted by an unexpected change in the group. Somebody was lying down near Arle, being healed by her. "I'm back everyone… and who's that?" I landed and disengaged my armor. "Dave, this somebody that I know quite well… He's Minotauros." Arle introduced me. "Y-you mean like an actual half-man, half bull? I'm staring at one right now?" I looked at him. "Yeah… but he's hurt… AND poisoned." She elaborated his condition. "Poisoned too?" I raised an eyebrow. "Dave huh? So that's your name… Y'see, I-I was… nipped by a poisonous arrow at my leg. ***pant*** It's… taking a… toll on me." He revealed the cause. "Wh-who brought this guy back here?" I looked about. "That would be me, Dave. Raffina alerted me of Minotauros' condition when she tried to find you on her own." Ex told me. _So she met up with this guy along the way…? And… is that an axe right beside him? I suppose he wasn't able to draw it out fast enough before an arrow got him. _"D-Dave!" Ringo and Feli rushed over to hug me. "I guess it's inevitable… you girls always worry for me." I sighed. "Damn right!" They pouted, but then quickly smiled in relief. "We should be worried about Minotauros now… I can't heal the poison myself." Arle brought the bad news. "Don't we have an antidote for it?" I asked around, hoping for a good outcome. "No Dave, we sadly don't have one…" Ms. Accord shook her head. _Damn..._ "There is still hope, but we have to retrieve that witch, meow." Popoi hopped to the ground. "Witch… Of course! She could have something made to serve as a cure! Good idea, Popoi." I regained optimism. "But kitten, I think she'll only listen to you. I doubt we'd be able to ourselves." The cat brought up. "Oh yeah, she's still…" I remembered. Witch was still trapped in Accord's place, unable to leave. "Dave, I can lead you to my place to talk to her. Just make sure to bring poor Minotauros with us too." Ms. Accord offered. "Sure. It'll take more than my armor to fly us there in that case. I'll try and not let that aura from that dragon form flow, but it will be very tiring and straining for me." I said and she nodded to me. I began to go into my dragon form. "Woah…" I heard Minotauros say. "**Alright Ms. Accord, climb aboard.** **Ex, help Minotauros get up here. Quickly now.**" I gave the orders. "C'mon Minotauros… let's boost you to him." Ex assisted him. "**Good. Hey, you think you can hold on long enough for this trip?**" I looked back at Minotauros. "***pant*** I-I think…" He believed. "**For your sake, I hope that you can. I'll be flying quickly after she gives me directions, so don't lose your grip.**" I told him. "I… won't, Dave." He assured me. I flew them to the house, then slowly put Minotauros down on the ground. After that, I ceased using my utterly draining form, audibly panting. "Allow me to get us inside, Dave." Accord pulled out her house key. The door opened and I got to see the inside of her house. There surprisingly wasn't much to it, at least until we reached the entrance to the basement. The spiral staircase leading down was cold, quiet, and foreboding as hell. The only things that I heard apart from us were ambient noises. I shuddered in fear and shook from the chills this place blew. I didn't move from the top of the stairs and Ms. Accord started to walk down the steps. As soon as she noticed no other footsteps echoing, she looked back at me. "... You must be scared of what could be down there, yes?" She assumed. "I-I'm not just intimidated by it; the cold breeze is giving me a bad vibe." I continued to shudder. "Worry not, I can assure you that it's only Witch down there. Sure, the basement itself looks ominous… but I am honestly telling you that there is nothing scary about it." She comforted me. "Actually…" Popoi opened his mouth before being silenced by Accord staring at him. "Don't mind Popoi, he's just trying to make you feel scared again over nothing. Isn't that the case, POPOI?" She continued to stare at him. "Uh… YES, meow." He gulped. _Perhaps Ms. Accord herself is more scary than anything down there. But… she IS going out of her way to bring me comfort… Meh. _I felt better after she said the stuff from before. "Here." She held out her hand, as if she eased me into coming down with her. "O-okay…" I went along with. Her hand was very soft, but still firm. I could tell that she still cares for me deeply as her student. This feeling in turn, allowed me to muster enough courage to walk down the stairs with her.

When we reached the bottom, I felt okay to let go of her. "... Where's Witch?" I wondered. "Over here. I will just take this key from the wall." Accord led the way. We walked over to a cell that was nearby, with somebody dwelling in it: Namely Witch. "Go ahead. Talk to Ms. Witch, Dave." She implored me. "W-Witch? It's me, Dave… I've come to… talk with you." "D-Dave?! Is that you?! Finally, someone other than Ms. Accord. But… I'm assuming you already know how I got here." "I… do, Witch. … Regardless, that's not why I'm here." "It's… not? What then?" "Well, it's like this… a lot of other things have happened in the past few days." I proceeded to tell her everything: The appearance of Yogs, our excavation for a specific ore, and the poisoning of Minotauros'. She conversed with me as I went over these points of subject. "I need you to make an antidote for Minotauros. You were the closest to a medicine maker that we knew of. Do you think you can pull this off? If you do, I'll forgive you for trying to take advantage of me, Witch." "O-of course! My time in this cell has taught me that I shouldn't take lustful steps on students. Dave… I solemnly swear that inside of school, I'll treat you as a student… and outside of school, I'll treat you as a friend. Can you accept my oath?" "As soon as you can make the antidote? Yeah, certainly! I can see that you felt sad being here for days. C'mon, let's be happy together in a way that makes both of us comfortable." "You can consider that antidote is as good as done... when I can get my cauldron and ingredients." We nodded to each other after our little agreement and smiled. Accord unlocked the cell and Witch slowly came out of it. We all agreed to head over to Witch's place to have the antidote made. I became a dragon again, carrying Accord, Witch, and Minotauros. "... Urk.." Minotauros suffered. "! Dave, the poison must be really getting to him… please hurry." Accord notified me. "***pant* Got it, Ms. Accord! Hang on tight everyone, this is gonna be rough!**" I flew faster, but not before we ran into some big trouble. "***screech***" We heard one screech, then dozens ensued. "**What the hell is making all that racket?**" I became irritated from the noise. "Eek! It's a flock of harpies, look!" Witch noticed. "**Eh? … EH?!**" I reacted. "It looks like they all want to sink their talons into us, meow!" Popoi's fur stood up on end. "Oh my, what a bunch of unruly avian women…" Accord frowned. "**Wait, THAT'S what they are?! I mean, I know a girl with wings called Harpy, but they don't look anything like her!**" My dragon eyes were widened. "Harpy's more angel-like compared to these birdie biotches." Witch commented. **"Sh-shit! Minotauros is a prime target for them to claw. *pant* He's defenseless in his current state. Somebody, protect him for me! I can only deal with whatever's directly in front of me while I'm like this.**" I told Accord and Witch.

They both agreed to handle the harpies from behind me. I knew for a fact that it wouldn't be easy to shake them. I was also sure that the other knew that fact as well. ***Dozens of scheeches*** They flapped toward us. "Here they come!" Witch got ready. "**Let's see if a roar can scare the harpies before we have to fight…**" I roared away to see. The only thing that came out of it was that the harpies were becoming even more aggressive. "...! I-I don't think they took kindly to that!" Witch saw. "***pant* Damn it! They aren't scared of me in the slightest… Let's see if an attack will make them reconsider their choice to be hostile. Take this!**" I fired a beam from my mouth at them. As much as I tried, they dodged and were simply too fast to be hit. An entire group of harpies soon swarmed my head, clawing at me. Luckily, my scales were far too tough for mere talons to scratch. The only things that I worried about were the possibility of them targeting my eyes, and the accidental unleashing of my aura. "**H-hey, help me get some distance away from them! *pant***" I wished. "Dave pull back your head as soon as I say so! Meteor Shower! … NOW!" Witch summoned meteors, then told me to retract my head. I did so and a small group of harpies suffered third-degree burns. Not only that, but their wings were almost entirely ruined. This caused them to fall to their deaths. To the other bird brains, it was like a sign of war. The rest of them charged in and slashed away at all of us, except for Minotauros for some reason. "Ouch!" Accord was the first victim. "W-what in tarnat-?! Gyyaaaaah!" Witch was next. "Ngh-!" I was third. They even messed with Popoi, for a small as he was. "Meooooooooow! Oooough... … Okay… THAT DOES IT!" The cat grew in size, to where he became bigger than me. "Time for you birdies… TO ALL ROT IN HELL!" He managed to grab every single remaining harpie and crush their bones with his paws. With that kind of pressure, their fragile bodies were squished into a bloody mess. Popoi then chucked the remains straight down to the ground. "***pant pant*** Nobody does something like that to me and lives to tell the tale…" He shrunk back to his normal size and rested on Ms. Accord. "***pant* Is everyone alright...?**" I chimed in. "D-Dave… We're all bleedin' badly because of those damn talons…" Witch reported the prime injury. "It… hurts. I haven't felt pain like this since I was a child…" Accord winced. "I can heal all of us... but only a little at the moment, meow. I'm pooped..." Popoi continued to pant. Even though the cat was tired, he was still obligated to heal himself, Witch, and Accord. After the small heal, they described to me that it was enough to close up the wounds. All three still felt pain though, so they were not in the best condition. I got everyone down as soon as I landed, and Witch began unlocking her house door. "'Aight, get 'em inside, Dave." She told me to. I nodded and downgraded all the way down to my small armor. I had just enough strength to pick up Minotauros, as well as being able to fit through the door. When we got inside, I placed him down on a chair. I panted continuously from bottling up the aura from… that form. "Hey, watch over him for me, 'kay?" Witch gestured and left us to bring out a cauldron. I waited an entire minute, taking deep breaths and regaining my stamina. _Holy crap, I hope that I don't have to keep all of that aura inside me ever again after today. I don't think that was good for me do… _As my mind wandered over to that thought, I was brought back to reality by somebody. "How about you go and help her, Dave?" Accord suggested. "Wh-why? I don't see a point in two people making something in the same cauldron. Besides... I'm not experienced enough at it to be confident, Ms. Accord." I scratched my head. "No, I didn't mean it like that, kid- er… I mean, young man... You can hand her ingredients as she asks for them." She responded in better detail. "Oh... Well, I suppose it'll make things go by a tad quicker… ... Sure, why not?" I walked over to where Witch went. "Witch? I came over so I could help in giving you ingredients while you make the antidote. It makes the process go by a bit faster. Is that okay with you?" I proposed the idea to her. "If it makes things more efficient, then certainly." She nodded. I hand-delivered ingredients to her as she asked for them throughout the process. I kept doing this until I gave her the eighth and final one. "Good. Thanks for the assist, Dave. Much appreciated, I can handle the rest." She bowed her head.

I left the room to return to where Ms. Accord and Popoi sat, with Minotauros still appearing weak. "... Just who is he? Where did he come from?" I looked at the half-man, half-bull while scratching my head. "I'm not sure who Minotauros is as a person or where he came from either…" Accord frowned. "So far, the only two things that I have learned about him are that Arle knows him… and he has an axe for a weapon. But, it looks like it was left behind where the others are at." I reviewed. "Yes... I believe I saw that very axe in the same spot just before we left." Accord agreed. "He's certainly an interesting fellow, in any case." Popoi added. "Yeah… Say, it's getting a bit late; the sun's starting to go down…" I looked out the window. I checked the time on my phone, sure enough it was accurate to the semi-dusky sky. "It's been a lengthy day for all of us." Accord reflected. A few minutes went by in silence before it was broken by Witch. "Here's the antidote, mixed and ready to go." She held out a cup. Minotauros noticed the cup for a split second. "...! Th-that's… Please, give it to me..." He sat up better in his seat and requested. Witch gave him it and he slowly drank it. "It'll take a bit for it to do the work, but you'll feel new again in no time." She encouraged Minotauros. "Thanks… Hey… I think I've seen you before… but where?" He replied. "I've heard about a half-man, half-bull in years past… are you a servant of sorts?" Witch recalled. "Y-yeah… how did you-?" He stopped. "Witch, do you know this Minotauros guy?" I asked her. "... Not directly. He appears to be the servant of Rulue. It's weird… when I found Rulue within the area of Primp Town for the first time, she didn't have a servant with her. I figured that the whole servant thing was nothing more than make-believe… but, lo and behold-" She was interrupted. "Yeah. I… I was Rulue's servant before we were sent from our world. Say, I'm… feelin' a bit better already. Anyway…" Minotauros told us his backstory involving him and Rulue. He even mentioned that he met with her today for the first time in years. "You must have been very loyal to her if you stayed with her for that long..." I said. "O-of course, I- I admired her. It wasn't without faults though… I messed up many times in tasks that she told me to accomplish, and made comments that I shouldn't have. Back then, her anger was damn-near uncontrollable. Rulue would call me a stupid cow and beat the hell outta me. Today though, I realized just how self-contained that very anger is now. She's probably already aware of me being poisoned, knowing her. I… don't wanna have her worry. Even though she doesn't consider me a servant of hers anymore, my loyalty to Rulue is still strong." He admitted. "You wanna go back and see her, right?" I assumed. "Yeah… it would put her mind at ease. Although, she might still call me a stupid cow. But, it will kinda remind me of the somewhat good old days." He chuckled lightly. "Yes, we should head back for the tunnel. Ms. Witch, you have gained the right to be in your own home again. You are officially free to be yourself for the most part." Accord pushed things along. "Thanks." Witch bowed. "It would be smart of us to go right about now. After all, it's not just Rulue who's waiting for somebody…" I nodded. After I said that, I thought about Ringo and Feli as I flew Accord and Minotauros back as a dragon. _Ringo… and Feli… We have been through quite a bit. All the great times, the level of courtroom drama that would only be seen in a soap opera… and all the hardships as well. _But then… my mind shifted over to Draco, almost forgetting her. _Huh… I wonder where Draco is now. She hardly ever gets a chance to tell me when she leaves me. D-does she not have a cell phone? Well… it wouldn't be illogical… I mean, she IS half-human girl, half-dragon. The fact that she is half-dragon makes me think Draco's understanding of typical technology of today... is mostly foriegn to her. Actually, do I remember where her house is? Damn it... Witch probably could have told me the location if we were still at her place, but alas… night is approaching. And, I now notice that it's- _My thoughts stop in their tracks as the wind chill is crazy, considering that I was flying high in the sky. "**I-it's fr-freezing…**" I shivered. "...! Dave, make an emergency landing. You can't afford to be in your dragon form when it's this cold out… We'll crash if your wings are unable to move." Accord strongly urged me to. "...**! Th-that's r-right… A-as a dragon c-currently, I'm c-cold b-blooded.**" I gave in and made for a landing as soon as I could. I got myself out of that form, reverting back to my bulky armor. "***pant pant* **Phew… ... Brrgh… That was a close one." I tried to warm myself. "It seems like Winter is coming early… look." Popoi inched up to the sky. "...! I-it's snow…" Minotauros saw the first few flakes flutter down. "God, already? That's insane…" I added. "It's not just regular snowfall either. Look at the sky, do you see any clouds up there?" Accord brought to our attention. "The hell? I don't see a single cloud…" Minotauros was stumped. "Let's see… what can this be, meow?" Popoi thought out loud. It took me a little bit to figure out just what kind of snowfall this was, but that's when it hit me. "...! This is-! This is a phenomenon known as _"diamond dust"_..." I realized. "Diamond dust? What's that?" Minotauros wondered, still baffled. Popoi looked at me, with a face just as puzzled. "Diamond dust is something that only happens when the sky is clear. As you can imagine, with the lack of visible clouds: Not much is produced from the actual snowfall. In turn though… you can see the snowflakes shine in the sun or moonlight, and it's a breathtaking sight." I explained. "Wow…" Minotauros admired it. "I've never seen anything like this before meow." Popoi's eyes twinkled, just like the snowflakes. "It is indeed beautiful, Dave. I have seen this before myself, however, that was years ago. Seeing it again brings back some memories… but we should really get back, no?" Accord reminded me. "O-oh! Right…" I nodded in agreement. "I can go through these woods on my own now; I'll only slow you down, kid." Minotauros insisted. "As long as you can get back to your axe just fine, sure. Come on, Ms. Accord and Popoi." I kneeled to help them up to my back. "Hey, Dave! For the short time that we have known each other, you seem pretty cool. Thanks for transporting me quickly for treatment!" Minotauros smiled at me. "No problem!" I happily responded. We waved and I flew off, with Accord and Popoi hanging on to me tightly.

**Ringo's POV**

Night would come near and we all saw snow beginning to show. "... Snow..." Ex noticed it. "Waaaait, I don't see any clouds… How the heck can it be snowing?" Amitie wondered. "Amitie, this is diamond dust. It happens when the sky is very clear, not much snow is made from this." Klug explained to her. "I-is that why we aren't really seeing clouds up there?" I asked for confirmation. "Yes. No visible clouds or big amounts of snow… but it's a sight to behold, Ringo. See how the flakes light up from the remaining light that is around?" He showed me. "It's incredible…!" I noticed. "So this is diamond dust… Heh. I have almost forgotten how it looked. I haven't stayed in a normal place for many years now. And on top of that, diamond dust is an extremely rare thing to occur. I don't think I've seen diamond dust since I first met my wife. … Now that I bring her up though, I'm… sad. I haven't seen her in so long, and I don't know whether or not she is alive... I lost her in the confines of space..." Ex talked, then frowned. "Ex…" I looked up to him. "... You really need to stop being so depressed with certain things, Ex." Arle told him. "***sigh* **I know, I know… ... It's just that I really miss my wife, dearly. She was a wonderful person... and helped lighten up the mood whenever I needed it. I realize that you want to cheer me up from this touchy subject… but I'm not entirely sure if you know what I went through, emotionally speaking. It was something that only I understood how painful it truly was... Tell me, Arle: Do you have a married partner?" He sat down. "N-no, Ex… I don't…" She shook her head at his question. "Then you don't know what the weight of losing your partner would feel like. ... It's one of the main reasons why I became Keeper of Dimensions in the first place. I felt like I had lost a sense purpose, just as I failed to save my wife from the vacuum of space. So... I ultimately decided to be the keeper after placing my trust into Zed taking care of Ess... who I need to remind you, is now a bunch of scrap metal, unable to be recovered to how he was before. His memories won't return due to his memory chip being completely smashed up. It's rendered unusable at this point, with no way to get back the Zed that knew us. If… If only I had backed up his memory on a second chip… … However, I figured that he would be durable enough to withstand most things, if not, anything. Even as a mindless, incomplete dragon... Dave utterly demolished Zed into pieces. A-anyway, losing somebody that you love dearly is one of the most painful things your psyche can experience, Arle." He placed a hand right in front of his face. "... Aw, don't be sad, Ex… I'm sure she's still alive somewhere out there.. ." Amitie sat down next to him. "I… I…" Ex could barely contain his sadness. _Poor Ex… If I lost Dave, I would be devastated too. Is it possible that Ex's wife is still alive? From his lamenting words, it sounded like she was whisked away by space. It's almost impossible to survive the cold vacuum of space without a suit for even mere seconds. It's logical to think that she's dead, but… why do I feel like she's still somehow…? _My thinking suddenly goes blank.

The next thing I knew, I was in a similar position to how I was when Ecolo gave me a vision during my sleep. "Wh-where… am I...?" I looked about. I noticed that I was at the farthest edge of spacetime. Or at least, that's what it looked like to me. "Ringo." I heard Ecolo's voice, then saw him. "E-Ecolo?" "It's me, I wanted to talk to you. So, I had you receive this vision to hear what I'm about to say. It's relevant to what Ex is lamenting on about." "You mean… his wife?" "Yeah. I could have given Ex the vision, but his mind is too cluttered with sad thoughts at the moment and it looks like they won't go away anytime soon. That is… unless I happen to have some good news, which I do. That's where you come in, Ringo. Tell him this for me: _"Your wife survived and I know it, so be glad!"_." "H-how, though? How could she survive the cold suction that is the vacuum of space, Ecolo?" "Not _"could"_, did. She did, in fact, live after being sucked up. A small spacecraft that was nearby managed to save her. Although… she did pass out right before it rescued her. As for her current condition… I actually don't exactly know, other than the fact that she was indeed alive after that." "Question, Ecolo." "Yeeeah?" "You're the current Keeper of Dimensions… so why don't you know everything?" "Weeell, if you want an answer to that question… See, I haven't been the keeper for toooo long and I dunno how Ex doesn't know whether or not she's alive. It kinda begs the question: Where's this missing knowledge? I guess… being the keeper doesn't necessarily mean that you're all-knowing. But, nevertheless… tell him that I bring good news. She must be out there in space, somewhere. We're running short on time with this vision, so I'll cut that part short. I want to discuss another thing with you, Ringo." "What is this other thing?" "The Yogs." "Oh yeah…" "These guys are constantly invading the world that Primp is in, as well as dimensions near your world to cause chaos." "***gasp*** They're closing in on my world?!" "***sigh*** It's not something you should worry about… I'm diverting their attention away from it. With doing that however… I'm afraid that the edge here has been visited by some of these Yogs. Luckily, I'm safe from the smoke from those nasty wicked seed thingies." "How...?" "I assume that due to the unstable nature of this place, as well as the outer part of it... wicked seeds just wilt away and die immediately. They're never properly placed in a stable location and so… yeah. Since the wicked seeds seem to be like that, they don't produce any smoke when exposed to this harsh area. Moving away from the seeds, you guys have already faced and defeated one of the Yogs, yeah?" "Uh... Uh-huh..." "Remember this: That was just the weakest of them from what I could scrounge up, the Yog of H2o, or water. That Yog was only capable of making the algae you saw polluting the ocean water around those isles." "The weakest huh? … Things don't look very good then." "Of course not, dingbrain! But yeah, seven others remain. They'll all be tougher than the first, for sure. If Dave wasn't able to take on the first of eight by himself, that's a big problem." "W-well, that's just because he doesn't have a full grasp on his dragon form yet. If he can stay in it for long periods of time…" "Wooahoho! Lemme stop you there, Ringo. That isn't going to happen… at least, not very easily. It was a trial and a half just to get him to that level. Recall his first transition from big armor to full-on dragon: His transformation was partial and incomplete, because of circumstances that you should ALREADY be aware of." "Right… uncontrollable anger from his hatred towards Vyle at the time..." "Yeah, that's the main contributing factor that caused the anomaly. And then, Dave had to get that evilness out of his system. Within that essence of pure evil, was the very anger he carried as he transformed into an incomplete dragon. Subconsciously, Dave had regained an entirely kindred spirit after the evil was purged. As things stand, he can only stay in his current dragon for about… hm… I would say... seven to nine minutes before becoming tired. It depends on how strenuous one thing is. Additionally, that aura is a weakling killer. Any nearby thing that is at least quite weaker than Dave will be affected by it. This means that you guys often won't get to fight with him against bad guys when he's like that. I must emphasize that this includes you, Ringo. Do you know the level of training that Dave would need, just maintain stamina with his dragon form? It would be the point of transcending human capabilities." "...! He started off as a human with no power to speak of!" "Exactly! He just wouldn't be the same guy you know him to be right now. It'll be downright heresy for a human, converted to a demon, to have the powers of a god! But… I'm sure that we both digress. I'm wasting your time by making you stay here and not wake up. Goodbye, my precious Ringie!"

The vision ended and I woke up on the ground, with Feli clutching my hand. "O-oh, thank God! We got worried when you suddenly passed out, Ringo!" She went in to pick up and hug me. "Are… you alright?" Ex stood back up. "... Guys, I got a vision." I told them. "A... vision?" Amitie tilted her head in confusion. "From who?" Feli wondered. "Was it from Ecolo?" Ex guessed. "... Yeah, it was from him. Ex, he wanted me to tell you something as a form of good news." I said to him. "Good news? Of… what exactly?" I told him the confirmation from Ecolo that his wife survived the vacuum of space. Ex found it extremely hard to believe though, telling me that he would have seen any ship nearby at the time. He told me that he did not see a single other ship around where he lost his wife. "... Did he tell you where we could find her?" Ex asked me. "No... he said that he doesn't know." I replied. "Tch. I think he's just trying to cheer me up... and cover up the fact that my wife is GONE! And while I was keeper... how come the omnipotence that came with the position never revealed to me whether or not she is alive, Ringo?!" His mood shifted to irritation. "U-uh… I-I-I really d-don't know, Ex. E-Ecolo seemed to suggest that keepers don't have complete omnipotence…" I stuttered. "***sigh* **Why is my life like this…?" He fell to the ground once more. "I-Is everything okay here?" I heard Raffina's voice echo to us. She and Rulue returned to the scene, with faces showing concern. "No… things are not okay, Raffina…" Klug took off his glasses for a few seconds and frowned. He explained Ex's current emotional roller coaster to them with the least amount of words needed. Rulue remained silent and likely understood the heavy emotion, more than most of us did.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave was able to successfully transport Minotauros to where his poison could be treated. Although, our main character seemed to have repercussions when trying his best to hold in the deadly aura from his dragon form. Becoming very exhausted with short uses of it, he was forced to make haste and turn it off as soon as he could. Also, when he flew as a dragon with things nearing nighttime, the cold air affected Dave too quickly. The cold-blooded nature had his wings move less. So, he made an emergency landing to downgrade himself. This caused him and those who came with him to see a case of diamond dust. Most of the other characters back at the tunnel saw this too. This in turn, had Ex remember his main source of sorrow: The loss of his wife. A little bit after that, Ringo received another vision from Ecolo. He recapped a couple of things and told her that Ex's wife survived the vacuum of space. Ecolo wanted Ringo to bring the good news to Ex. She was released from the vision and told our sad captain of a starship. However, he was too skeptical and got irritated. Rulue and Raffina return to the tunnel to see this state of Ex's. What is to become of Dave if he keeps holding in that aura? Could Ex's wife still be alive, with Ecolo saying that she survived the vacuum of space? Next chapter, Chapter 47: Aura Issues.**


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47: Aura Issues**

**Dave's POV**

As I flew closer to the tunnel... we heard a voice, calling for me to stop. "Dave, them off and come to me." It was Satan, sounding like he needed me for something. "Satan?" I looked around. "I'm still resting back in my domain, but I'll make a portal for you to arrive there. I… need you." He said. "F-for what?" I stopped and landed. "I'll tell you when we meet face-to-face. Oh, and do me a favor: Don't deactivate your current armor. It'll be helpful for you, trust me." He elaborated. "Sure. ... I was hoping to go back to Ringo and Feli, so that they won't worry any more than they have to." I sighed. "Dave, this is far more important for you and it is of your best interest... coming to me. "Don't worry, I will tell them that you are fine." Accord smiled at me. "... Okay... thank you, Ms. Accord." I bowed. The portal appeared and I waved goodbye to her and Popoi. I entered in it, sending me to a boundary that rests between what I assumed to still be Amitie's world, and this Puyo Underworld. _Is this a gate to the Puyo Underworld…? It has to be, there's no way that he sent me to an incorrect location. _As I remained in thought, looking at the gate, I heard a voice call out to me. "You must be Dave, our ruler is waiting for you." It was a guard of sorts. _He's probably here to keep outsiders away from this place… _"Y-yes I am, sir." I nodded. "The next Demonic Dragon Warrior… it would be an honor for us to escort you to him. Have you ever been down there before? You may not know where to go in the underworld to reach Lord Satan." He offered. I shook as a sign of _"no"_ and the guard noticed. "Ah, I see. Men, ease him into the underworld." He alerted more guards. "Come then, Legendary Demonic Dragon Warrior. Follow us to our ruler, Lord Satan." They gestured. I followed behind the group, not saying much of anything. One of them complimented my stature, but that's really the only thing that I responded to. Other than that, I was silent and listened to the guards explain landmarks and locations. Seeing the Puyo Underworld for myself was certainly a sight to behold. Yes, it was hot since this was basically Hell, but the heat honestly wasn't that bad. I saw people, happily wandering about in leisure. _Heh. That's certainly a surprise… people actually being happy to live here of all places. I figured that a place like this would entail eternal suffering for everyone... but I guess not. The children are clearly enjoying their time…_ We eventually arrived at this castle and I was blown away. I didn't put two and two together that this was a kingdom. It was no wonder why the guards referred to Satan as their lord. "Demonic Dragon, this is Lord Satan's castle. We will wait here and take you back to the gate once your business is done; that is, if you need to anyway." One of the guards told me. "Thank you." I nodded. The door to the castle opened up and it was a joy to the eyes. "People of the castle: The Demonic Dragon Warrior has returned in some form! Please treat him with respect!" The guards alerted the castle-folk. I entered and heard the door close behind me. A servant-like demon inched her way to me. "Ah... you must be Dave, yes?" She smiled. "Y-yes, I am. I must say, this castle is impressive… Anyway, where is your lord?" I turned my head from side to side. "Here, follow me." She insisted. I did and I ended up in a throne room, where Satan sat. "My lord, Satan… I have brought who you requested here." The servant spoke, then left. At this point in time, it was just me and Satan.

"Ah, Dave… what do you think of this atmosphere?" "I think it's quite… extravagant, Satan." "Yes. I think it's very extravagant as well. But… asking you that was not the reason why you're here." "So what is the reason you have brought me here?" "I've been watching you go out of your way to help Minotauros cure that poison. When you said that you would be holding in that aura from your dragon form, I was hoping that you wouldn't do that." "Why?" "Well Dave, if you want to know why… I'll give you the simplest answer to that question: It'll end up destroying you in due time." "E-eeeeh?! Destroy me?!" "***sigh* **Do. Not. Panic. Please. I have a solution to this, and it will end up helping me too. But… the process will be painful and strenuous for both of us." "H-how so…?" "... Remember when Witch purged the evil initially associated with your dragon form?" "Yeah… what of it?" "This will be of similar pain levels… ... Actually... even more so, as I remember it to be." "I passed out when I had that evil purged… will I be put in a coma with this, Satan?" "... I hope not, Dave… otherwise, I'll be the only one benefiting here." "How does this benefit you?" "As you have noticed… I recently needed quite a bit of rest from light usages of my power. Also, I'm not as strong as I used to be. What I'm hoping to accomplish from this, besides your safety of course… is a grand return to my original power level. My people don't know that I'm weaker than ever, but if word of this gets out... they'll lose faith in me as a ruler. How can I rule the Puyo Underworld without the strength to rival that of a god's?" "Oh, I see… that makes perfect sense." "Yeah... My power was already on a decline when I met Vyle for the first time in seven years. And then, the fusion with Ringo happened… She was boosted from a majority of what I had, even after we separated. This left me as a shadow of my former self… hence why I haven't really fought anything at all since. So… are you willing to go through with this?" "If… I'm gonna die from the aura staying inside my body, then I'll do it. Pain in any non-lethal degree is better than death." "Good, then we're on the same page... I don't want you to die either, Dave. I'm not just saying that because of the Yog problem, but because I treasure you as a companion." "Satan…! Thanks for saying that, your care is greatly appreciated." "No problem… Now, disengage the armor completely." "Okay… what next?" "Take off your shirt, it's essential because I need to be able to draw something in my blood." "Uh… sure…?" I took off my shirt and Satan purposely cut himself with a knife to withdraw blood. "Satan, is this… a ritual?" "Yes. I must draw a pentagram of blood on your back, then do something called a _"devil's chant"_." "What's a devil's chant?" "You don't really need to know the specifics, only that it's going to cause your harmful, held-in dragon aura to transfer over to me as stabilized strength. "Okay… how will THIS be painful for us?" "It'll be painful for you because it's me infiltrating your body. Things tied to your power... even the harmful ones, aren't meant to be ripped away. Therefore, it comes as a shock to no one that ripping away a part of someone's inner power hurts like hell. And the same can be said when inserting a foreign power into your body. For a couple of minutes... it overwhelms you as you're writhing in agony. But… it will, in fact, subside soon after and it is very relieving." His finger slid across my back as he made the supposed pentagram. It felt weird and I did NOT know what to make of it. But it was nothing, and I mean NOTHING compared to what I would feel next. "Here comes the chant… prepare yourself, Dave." Satan alerted me. He began speaking something in a language that I did not understand. When he was done with that chant, Satan placed his entire hand on my back. What I had felt in the heat of the moment... was pretty much indescribable. I was in so much agony, I couldn't scream for the life of me. It was a miracle that I didn't pass out halfway through. I clearly heard Satan wincing a ton, but I could not utter a single yelp. The brutality that was this had come to an end at last. It lasted shortly in reality, but it felt like a goddamn eternity. Both of us were panting heavily as a result. Just before I passed out, I felt like a weight that had kept me down today was gone. My mind went blank after that scene wrapped up. As I came to, my body shook around. It was like someone was shaking me to wake up. "... Ugh… where am I…?" I got up. "Oh good, you're up. Dave, it worked. You don't have that held-in aura anymore and my power level is restored. Man, I feel good as new!" Satan happily spoke. "Damn… that whole thing hurt so bad that I could not scream. I STILL feel that pain on a lesser scale, Satan…" "Like I said, it'll subside soon enough." After he said that, I checked my phone with what the time is supposed to be. I then saw an unread message from Ringo, saying that she wanted me to come back home before 7:00 P.M. Looking back at the time, it was almost seven. "Ringo will be pissed… I'm sure that it's past dark in Suzuran already." I sighed. Satan looked at the message and nodded. "Mhm… Does she know why you didn't return to her right away?" "Not specifically, Satan. Accord seemed to only tell her what we knew beforehand. I'm going to text her that I'll speak about it to her in person." "Okay. So I assume that you'll be leaving now, Dave?" "Actually… there is a favor that I want you to do…" "A favor, you say?" "Yeah. I want to go and see Draco real quick. It may sound trivial, but I think it's important. Can you make me a portal that goes to her house, then reconfigure the coordinates to Ringo's place after I'm done?" "Sure, I won't ask why since I can just watch you from here anyway. I can see it in your eyes that you have a good reason. And before you go… expect me to be helping from here on in. I'll help destroy those Yogs and be there for you." "Great!" "Here you go, one special portal." "Thanks a lot, Satan." "It's my pleasure."

I waved goodbye and leapt inside the portal, ending up at Draco's house. I knocked on the door and she opened it from the inside. _Huh… it looks like she already bathed. Draco's wearing pajamas, cute ones at that. _"O-oh, Dave! What's up? Why are ya here this late?" "I know, Draco… it's a weird time to come to you, but… do you have a _"cell phone"_?" "One of those portable phones? Nah…" "Well uh... I was thinking that maybe tomorrow we can meet up in Primp Town… and have you get one of them. I want to be able to stay in contact with you." "Oooooh, so that's what this is about… 'kay then, what time? I might have the gold and silver that I need." "12:00 P.M. There should be a clock somewhere in the middle of town to help you keep track of time, should you come early Ack-!" "...! Dave?!" "D-don't worry about it, Draco… today's just been a little busy for me." "I-if you say… so…" "Heh… here's something that might lift your spirits." I went straight into kissing her on the lips. "Th-thank you so much, Dave… I really missed kissing you!" She kissed me back. "Aw, you're so sweet, Draco..." "Hey, maybe you can take me on a date through the town while we get that phone for me!" "... Not a bad idea… after all, I have to treat all of you girls equally. I already took Ringo on a date, so it's only natural. School is kind of wrecked at this point, might as well have plenty of fun! Welp, see you tomorrow!" "You too!" Draco closed the door and I jumped back into the portal. Very conveniently, it dropped me off EXACTLY where I wanted it to, what I considered to be my home at this point. "...! ***cough* **… ***cough cough* *hack* **Dammit… When is this fucking pain going to go away?" I pulled myself together and entered inside. Ringo saw and scolded me for being back late, because of course. Meanwhile, Serilly still rested on the couch and noticed the scolding. "Y-you're back…" She looked at me. "Is everything okay for you, Serilly?" I checked up. "Yes… not much happened while you were gone, but I did talk to Ringo's mother for a bit." She told me. "I-I see. … Huh?" My talk with her was interrupted by a news flash. _"Authorities confirm that a group of criminals are responsible for taking many citizens of Suzuran hostage. It's unclear who these individuals are... but they are looking to threaten the city, so that they can acquire control of its political power. Police and SWAT teams are trying to find the scoundrels as we speak. So far though, there doesn't seem to be much of a trace of a hideout. The only other thing that we can confirm at this point is that investigators are not giving up. That is all we have to say about this situation for now." _A news anchor spoke. "Are… you thinking what I'm thinking, Dave?" Ringo gave a serious expression. "Yeah. Those bastards… they've struck again." I gritted my teeth. "Those terrible people from before?" Ms. Ando had a look of concern. ***buzz* **"Hm? It looks like I have a call… I'll just go over there." I pointed. I picked up the call and it was from Jace. "We have bad news, Dave. It's REALLY bad…" "I know. I just watched the news report of this. Those criminals taking citizens from Suzuran, then making them hostages… just so that they can _"negotiate" _in having the city's political power. What are they hoping to gain by doing this, Jace?" "I honestly could not tell you, they are becoming insane. Before, they were just another criminal organization; now though, we're dealing with terrorists. If they were smart... they would have taken a prime minister from somewhere and used them as a bargaining chip. Instead, they just took a bunch of people from here. Were they not confident enough in taking an elected official hostage? I cannot understand what's driving them to do this." "Shit, I dunno… Either way, those people need saving and I doubt the criminals are patient enough for us to stall." "... You're going to help the authorities, right?" "Not tonight, today was taxing for me… a lot happened." "I… understand, Dave. Have a good night." "You too, Jace." I ended the call and made a heavy sigh. "Dave? You should probably eat before you starve for the night." Ms. Ando led me towards some food. "... I should, Ms. Ando… I should." I ate what I could and bathed with Ringo.

"So, you messaged me that you would talk about this in person… Why didn't you come back right after curing that Minotauros guy, Dave? And… what the hell's up with this bloody pentagram on your back?" "Satan knew something was wrong with me… Remember when it was said that my aura while as a dragon is hazardous in a nutshell, Ringo?" "Yeah, not to be approached by weaker entities, right?" "Well, I kept in that very same aur- -Ack! … Damn, this still hurts… -so that I could fly Ms. Accord to her house to retrieve Witch, then fly to Witch's house to make an antidote. And then, I had to do the same thing when going back. Meanwhile, the held-in aura made me exhausted so easily. But… that's when the freezing cold wind came in. It was simply too risky to be in the dragon form, so I landed and downgraded to my bulky armor. Minotauros said that he can go on his own and I let him. This left me to drop Ms. Accord off near where you guys were, but not before being told by Satan to go somewhere else afterwards." "Why?" "He knew that me holding that stuff in my body was bad. Thus, he had me come to the Puyo Underworld and meet him in his castle. Through an unspeakably painful ritual, he took all of my stored aura and converted it into more power for himself. So yeah, he looks like he's back in business as far as his power level is concerned. At least somebody got something out of this…" "How… much did that ritual really hurt you, Dave?" "***sigh*** It hurt me on the inside so much… to the point where I couldn't even scream. That's why I said that it was unspeakably painful, Ringo. ... Wash this bloody pentagram off, I don't want that to remain on my back." "You got it." "... … Great. Just great… the water around us is turning red. I'm now getting chills from this making me think of murders in bathtubs." "It's okay… I'm here with you. Your special girlfriend is bathing here with you. Speaking of which… How do my breasts feel? Do you like them?" "U-uh… well… um… I think they're fine the way they-" "***sigh* **Dave, turn around so that you can see my face. Do you not like how my breasts are SUPPOSED to be?" "N-no, it's not that… I like smaller breasts just fine, they're cute, really." "Let me guess… you would rather want them to be milk jug sized, like when I fused with Satan. Isn't that right? You went head-over-heels for that look of me." "I-I mean, big breasts aren't everything… they typically look better on a taller woman. Like, don't you think a big rack would be awkward looking on a smaller girl? Just saying…" "Oh! So you mean to tell me that mine are perfect…?" "As good as they can be, Ringo." "... As a reward for saying that, you can touch them in any way you want." "Uh, let's save that for the bed… I want to clean myself." "Fair enough." We got out of the bathroom and slipped into my bed. "Time for some fun, Dave." "Heh. Getting on top of me, I see." "***giggle* **I do love you, so duh." We went back and forth with the kissing for a while. Every so often, I would softly grope Ringo's bosom. It was obvious that she liked it. We then decided it would be a good time to sleep. Ringo decided to go back to her room and it was just me laying in my bed. _Ringo… you are so feisty. Whether it's a good or bad thing, I don't know. Actually, you're not the only one. You, Feli, and Draco are all feisty in your own ways. … Draco, I don't know how this date is going to play out but… I hope we both enjoy it. _I fell asleep while I was deep in thought about the next day.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave went to go and see Satan in the Puyo Underworld. It was revealed that he wanted him to come, so that he can remove the dragon aura. After a grueling ritual, Dave passed out and awoke feeling leftover pain. A missed text message from Ringo alerted him to head back to Suzuran, but not before going to Draco's place. He wanted her to get a cell phone for the sake of having contact. After talking to Draco about the arrangement, he left for Suzuran, not wishing for Ringo to wait any longer. The rest of the evening came through mostly how Dave expected it to be. The criminal/hostage situation was the only thing that wasn't expected. He and Ringo got a little frisky in his bed before the two separate for the night.** **How will Dave's date with Draco play out? How much time will there be left before the criminals threaten to kill the hostages? Next chapter, Chapter 48: Love, Hardships, and Guns.**


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48: Love, Hardships, and Guns**

Morning came and I walked out of my room, stretching my arms. "Oh! Dave, Lemres is outside waiting for us." Ringo saw me. "Huh? Why?" I looked. "Well, that's we're gonna find out. Go ahead, open the door for him." She urged. I opened the door and Lemres came inside. "Hey dude, what brings you here?" I asked. "I'm gonna put this in simple terms... Ms. Accord wants all o' us to come back to the tunnel soon. She says that it's imperative and in our best interest. That's why I'm here, to bring ya to Primp and gather the other peeps." He answered. _Uh oh, that's awkward… Dammit, I had planned to meet up with Draco at noon. Fuck, what do I do?! Do I just go along with this for now? I can't get to Primp on my own anyway. … I think I may have an idea, but it'll end up deceiving everybody for a little bit. God, I feel scummy for even thinking of attempting this… but dammit, I have to help Draco get a cell phone. _"O-oh, is that so, Lemres? Alright." I pulled myself together. Ringo squinted her eyes suspiciously at me right before I said that. That obviously made me worry that she could catch on to me doing something. _Shit, I think my thinking has brought in some notice from Ringo. I'll need to bluff and hide this stunt really well. _"Dave, are you ready?" Ringo asked me. "Uh… um… We haven't had… breakfast yet, had we, Ringo?" I scratched my head. "... Oh yeah! God, how could we forget?" She realized. "Well, c'mon on outside when you're done." Lemres exited. _Good, hopefully that took her mind off that moment…_ We ate with Serilly, who woke up some time after we did. She of course… was stuffing her face with pancakes. "She REALLY likes pancakes, does she?" Ringo turned and whispered to me, seeing the sight as awkward. "Uh, yep…" I felt just as awkward. Time elapsed and we left after saying bye to Serilly and Ms. Ando. "***sigh* **'Bout time… What took ya?" Lemres slumped before standing straight up. "If you were in there with us, you would know exactly why, Lemres. But, we're mincing words... let's get a move on." I told him. "Uh-huh… 'Aight, sure." He nodded slowly. We as a trio, entered the portal Lemres made and ended up in Primp. "Okay, I'm gonna get Amitie and the rest of our classmates. Dave, go get Arle and Carbuncle. And Lemres-" Ringo spoke before Lemres stopped her. "I'll get anyone else that hasn't already been spoken of." He finished. "Uh, ruuude. You interrupted me, Lemres." Ringo pouted. "Hey, I already know what to do, Ringo. That's why I did that." He pointed out. "Th-that's no excuse!" She lashed out somewhat. "***sigh* **We're getting nowhere like this… We just all do our part in this, so stop acting like little kids." I facepalmed. "Fine…" They begrudgingly made up. Ringo and Lemres went their separate ways from me. Quickly, I looked at the time from Primp's clock. _It's… 11:43 A.M., huh? I might be able to feasibly wait here for about fifteen minutes, then meet up with Draco for her cell phone._

A minute passed after twelve, and I saw Draco sprinting. It looked like she was desperately trying to find me in the huge crowd of people. "Hey, I'm over here, Draco!" I waved both of my hands. She saw me, then ran over to where I was at. Draco was catching her breath from the running. "So, why didn't you fly to me, Draco?" "Oh, well I did fly… but then I had to land because only birds are able to fly around here." "The hell? Who or what established that nonsense?" "Dave, it was this… bird guy. A big bird that can talk, with pink feathers and a pair of glasses. He claimed that he was a hero of justice for the town. I just took his word for it, cuz... I don't really go to this place." "If I see him, me and him are going to have the chat of a lifetime. Why, you may ask? What he says is probably not even a rule in the town… He probably just wants positive clout." "Uh… what's clout, Dave?" "Clout? It's kind of another way of saying attention. Specifically, it's the way that one creates some buzz among people. Um… were there any other features of the bird guy that you can describe?" "Uh… …! The tail feathers! They're small and few, only three of them… There was a red, blue, and green feather. And… his beak was also pretty large, and yellow too." "Alright, so if I see a huge bird with those features… I'll know right away. Let's get you that cell phone." "Then we can go on a date! Yippie!" Draco instinctively grabbed my hand while I led us to the shopping part of town. "Let's see here… no… no… … DEFINITELY not… Ah, here it is." I found it after some searching. Looking about in the shop allowed me to see that they had phones of the same model as the one Ringo gave me. "Perfect, these ones are the same kind of my own, Draco. Go ahead, see what color you want." I showed her. "... … Ah! This one looks cute!" She smiled. "And, it's fitting for you too. How much are these…?" I squinted my eyes to find a price tag. "Dave, you can't see it? I can see the price just fine." "Huh? Where…?" "The tag might be shoved back to where you don't see it. It doesn't matter, I can pay for it." "Oh? Well… good, I guess…" Draco purchased the phone and we left the store. I eased her into its functions, by demonstration. After that, I made it so that my number was in her contacts and vice versa. "Excellent, now we can call and message each other whenever we need to, Draco." "Yay! ***giggle***" "How about we go there and have some fun?" I pointed her over to where the woods were. "In the woods, Dave? I dunno…" "Aw, c'mon… the woods carry more joy than you would think." _Oh my God, that is very much a lie… but I can't tell her that I have a job to do. If I do tell her, she'll be so upset. Draco really wanted a date… ... Fuck it, I'll make it so that me and her are dating and move myself over to the tunnel. Multitasking! _"... If you say so, darling!" _She called me "darling"! Now I CAN'T go back on her; I must provide her a fun time. _"Let's go!" I started. We ran and ran until reaching the start of the woods. Once we were inside the thick of it, we cycled between walking and making out. In the middle of it, I got a phone call. "Hold up." I stopped Draco. I took out my phone and she nodded to me in silence. It was a call, from Jace. "Dave, it's me." "What is it, Jace?" "Can you reach out to Ringo? Where is she?" "Uh… we are both not in Suzuran currently… why?" "Why? The authorities need a bit of an… agent, and they came to me for a recommended person for the job. At first, I thought you would be best for this… but I don't think you're quiet." "Uh, what kind of agent are they looking for exactly?" "A secret agent, an individual who can hide in the shadows. I realized that Ringo's body size is smaller than yours. By the way, how good is her aim?" "I'm… not too sure about that, but… aren't you a good candidate for whatever this job entails?" "I WOULD have been, however... remember when Spy Gala-tea almost escaped from the Puyo Isles? I was wounded during that time and because of that. The authorities don't trust me with doing it myself." "Huh… okay then, what about Gilbert?" "Tch. He has no experience with this kind of thing at all." "Oh…" "Anyway, tell Ringo that I'll be waiting by what's left of Suzuran High." "Uh, alright." "Thank you, goodbye." Jace hung up. I called Ringo a few seconds later. _Maybe this can serve as a coverup for my tardiness at the tunnel. _"Ringo? You hear me?" "***sigh* **Yeah, what is it this time? Can someone take you back to Suzuran, Jace needs to see you at what's left of Suzuran High." "Why-?" "Don't ask why, it'll make more sense if you ask him yourself. I don't know all the details, he just called me." "Fine. What a pain in the ass…" Ringo hung up the call.

Sudden rustling sounds from the trees above us began to make themselves known. "Hoho! Is that the dragon girl that I saw this morning?" I heard a voice. "Huh?! Who's there?!" My eyes darted. "Hm? Why is this boy with her now? Hm…" The voice continued. "...! Dave, it's him. The bird I told you about, he's here!" Draco recalled the voice. "Hey, show yourself, birdbrain!" I demanded. "If I must… HOHO KICK!" He shot out from the trees above and aimed a kick at me. "Holy shit! What the hell?!" My eyes widened. I barely dodge-rolled out of the way and the bird landed, creating a small crater in the ground. "Mm-hm… that wasn't half bad kid, you managed to avoid one of my signature attacks. Though, that one was only made with seventy-five percent speed. I could have gone full speed if I wanted to. However, it is of my best interest to not go all-out... unless I deem it to be necessary." He said with arrogance. _What is up with that arrogant demeanor? It's pissing me off. _"Who are you? What do you want from us?" I demand an answer from him. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Boy, how do you NOT know me? I am the shining hero of justice for Primp and its citizens… Hohow Bird!" "Yeeep, never heard of you." I lost interest in conversing with him. "H-huh?! Are you living under a rock or what?" The bird took an offense to my comment. "I dunno, I just know that I've never seen you from around here." I rolled my eyes. Hohow Bird stopped for a bit, then sighed. "I guess it can't be helped… I did take a leave of absence from my hero duties up until recently. But… this is where things change! I'm here to capture someone who has done wrong, and I see her right in front of me as the villain she is! CAW!" He charged. "E-eeeh?! … Gyaaaah! Let me gooooo, you stupid... not-hero bird!" Draco tried to break free. She was grabbed by him and couldn't escape. "Draco!" I screamed. I initiated for combat, applying the bulky armor. "Hey! No one takes somebody that I care about away from me like that! What's your justification for bluntly labeling Draco as a villain, big beak?!" "My justification, you say? Well, I told her that only birds can fly about in Primp Town, but... Mm-hm. She broke that rule of wing." "That's a bunch of avian shit! I've never heard ANYBODY or even any one thing mention that to be a rule." "Boy, you lack evidence to prove it as nothing more than turkey baloney." "So?! You lack evidence to prove your case too! Unlike you, I've been doing actual heroic things. People adore me with this armor, for how strong I am, and for how much determination I have." "Uh… say what…?" "? Didn't you hear me, dodo brain? I said that I'm a hero!" "... Pff… PAAAH-HAHAHAHA! HO-HO-HEE! Oh-hohoho! hoo-boy… You can't be serious. What kind of hero dons a set of armor THAT evil-looking? You can't possibly be a hero if you look like a demon from Hell! ***chuckle***" "Tch. Make fun of me all you want… it won't make a difference, because I will force you to let her go!" "Uh, no. That... that will not do. I won't just let you have her back. Instead, I'll make a proposition for you." "A proposition?" "Mm-hm. I am going to fight in a tournament tomorrow… and I want you to be in it as well. If I am eliminated and you win the entire thing, I'll give her back. As a hero: I pledge to keep this as a promise to you." "Fine. Whatever it takes to get her back from you, I'll do it. Prepare yourself when I do face you, Hohow Bird!" "Do the same, boy. Until then, I'll have this _"troublemaker" _restrained!" Hohow Bird dashed into the shadows with Draco screaming somewhere in the distance. _Draco, I promise that I will rescue you!_

**Draco's POV**

The bird held me tight and I got more and more furious. "That's it! I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but go to Hell!" I breathed fire at him. "...! Sorry, but no fire will be burning me!" "H-How?! How is my fire not burning you?!" "After the last time that I got cooked like a goose from a girl… I decided to always have access to a special gel! As long as I'm covered with it, flames of any kind don't affect me. I used it once to save a child from a building engulfed in a raging hellfire, believe it or not. None of the firefighters of Primp could get close to it, even with hoses and fire extinguishers. So, I stepped up to the plate to save the kid. She was a little tyke, about six years old. I saw her terrified face and when she saw me, the girl hesitated whether she could trust me. To me… that was just another act of heroism, but for her, it must have been the scariest thing she had ever experienced at that point. Once I had convinced the girl, I managed to carry her to safety and into the arms of her mother." "H-how long was this ago?" "Mm-hm… so NOW you're interested to hear my side of things, isn't that right?" "Don't get me wrong, I still think your way of thinking as a hero is screwed up compared to Dave's. You wouldn't take me captive like this if you were a real hero." "Think of my actions as you wish… Anyway, I believe that it was the second to last heroic act I did before taking that leave of absence. Here we are… my base." "A… very tall tree…?" "No, not JUST a very tall tree; check this out!" He pressed a hidden button to reveal a door in front of us. "..." "I made this myself, girl. Inside there is an elevator that can take us either up or down. Above us is the base's perch, where I can see many things from a distance. Meanwhile, the underbelly contains the majority of this base. I think it will be better to show you rather than tell. That's where we'll go, since it's my… crib, so to speak." He carried me inside and lowered us to what should be underground. "Here it is… you can have one look at all of this before I hold you in a container." He presented. I walked around slowly, taking in the place's aesthetic. A lot of crazy gadgets and whatnot rested on walls, looking rather organized. _For a human-sized, and overly "heroic" bird, he knows how to make his own home neat and cozy. _Five minutes passed without either of us uttering a word. "Alright, get in and stay in this container, troublemaker." He waited. I sighed and walked over to it. "Hm? Waaaait." He halted me for a second, prying into my pockets. "Ah-ha! I thought there might have been a phone…" "N-no! Give it back, I just got it today!" "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to it. I'm just... separating you from it, ensuring that you can't contact somebody. Like, maybe that boy for instance. What's your story with him? You two seem to be rather close." "... How long were you watching us for, bird?" "I would say… just before the boy had his first phone call. Yes, I saw him go through two back-to-back calls." "But what you said before appearing to us was different from that..." "That was just to not come off as a heavy eavesdropper. It was inevitable for me to be seen as one, but I said that so it would sound like I was only there with you by sheer coincidence. After all, what kind of hero goes to eavesdrop on an unsuspecting person? Unless it's if it's used for the purpose of intel gathering, it's not fitting of a hero. But… back to my question: What's your story with the boy, hmm?" "***sigh* **Me and him… we go a few months back. When I first laid my eyes on him, he was… attractive. He didn't accept my love at first, because he-" "Hold it. Before you go any further… I need you to tell me his name." "I-it's Dave…" "Last name?" "L-last name…? I don't know… he never told me what his last name was." "Hm-hm… so his name is Dave… continue." "-because Dave didn't really know much about me at the time. After he saw my true colors while we were at this island resort… I felt like he got to know me through all of that. Dave saved me from being declared guilty in a trial there... and also woke me up from a coma I received just after that. He wouldn't have done those acts himself if he treated me as mostly a stranger, but he was… my hero." "Heh. A soppy love story with a bright ending... This sounds like something right out of a soap opera if you ask me. I would say you are lying to me, but your cheeks are red. Do you truly love him?" "Y-yes! As a partner, and my personal hero..." "Either way, you're still in here because of that rule I had established. Until Dave wins the tournament, you're stuck here. Get in the container, I'll give you food that you want when you feel like you're hungry. Just ring the bell at any time before 7:00 P.M. Ask and you shall receive! Even though you're a troublemaker in my eyes right now, I still must be a fair host to my guests." _It's good to see that he at LEAST has manners…_ "Okay… get in." He told me. I stepped inside. The seal closed back up and I was trapped. I noticed a slot of sorts in the seal almost right away. "Oh-ho, that? It's a tray slot. This is how I'll be able to bring the food to you without opening the container. I might toss a book in there too so you don't get bored. … … Ah-ha, here's a book that will keep you entertained for a long while. A love story, I get shivers in my wings every time I read it." He tossed the book inside. I took a look inside the book as he walked back to a chair to sit down. Before I knew it, I was reading full paragraphs. I wasn't much of a reader, but I was being pulled into the story.

**Ringo's POV**

I told everybody at the tunnel that I would be going somewhere else for important business. Arle and Carbuncle came on their own, and I asked if Dave got them to come. Arle said that Dave never told them to go to the tunnel for the day. _I don't know what's going on, Dave… but this is NOT making me happy. Having me go back to Suzuran… and he didn't even bring Arle and Carbuncle to the tunnel! What the hell?! _When I was back in Suzuran and within his sight, Jace gestured to me. "Okay… why do you want me?" I walked to him. "..." He went on with his reason for dragging me into this. "Jace… I'm not a person of stealth." "Well, you are going to be! Look, we don't have many other candidates for this. Dave's body size was too big, his shoulders were too broad, ect." "***sigh* **If you're looking for somebody that fits this bill, I think I may have a better choice than myself." "Who?" "I'll go get her." Luckily a portal that I used to get to Suzuran was still around. I relayed the information back to the others and urged that Feli would enter that same portal, along with Lemres. I didn't want her to be trapped in Suzuran. Lemres agreed to come along for the ride.

**Feli's POV **

I felt like this was a job that I could do well in after Ringo came to me. Arriving in Suzuran, I met up with Jace after Lemres stayed behind. "So, what does this mission entail, Jace?" "Feli… have you heard about Suzuran's citizens being taken hostage recently?" "N-no… I haven't." "I see... That's what this mission is about: Saving the hostages from the clutches of those assholes. If they don't have a single one to their name, they have no bargaining chip to coerce the city in submitting to them. Now, your body is definitely small enough to slink through the shadows. Are you sneaky at the very least?" "I'm silent when I don't talk, which is a good amount of time." "Have you ever held a gun of sorts before? Don't worry, authorities won't give you the lethal stuff. You will be giving simple things, like tranquilizers with natural suppressors." "Uh... what's a suppressor?" "It's a thing that you put on a gun to make it produce little, to no sound when you fire. Also, the authorities will give you powerful sleep stuff to spike into drinks. It's important not to kill terrorists in this, for it is incredibly risky. If the others see a dead body, they WILL react badly to it and become desperate. The less dead bodies, the better the outcome will be. So, how good is your aim? Should we test it out before you go?" "Yeah, I guess…" He handed me a stun gun for me to shoot at a dummy. _My eyesight is above average, but can I really do this? There's only one way to know for sure… _I decided to take a shot at the dummy. I ended up hitting it roughly where the neck should be. "Pretty good, Feli… you managed to hit what would have been an exposed area. Granted, the dummy was a still target… but the shot itself was accurate. Do it a couple of more times; prove that it isn't a fluke." He was a bit impressed. I took two more shots at the dummy, landing roughly on the same portion of the body. "Heh. Looks like I have found the perfect person for the job..." I heard him speak to himself. "It's bizarre, Jace… I've never really held a gun before, but I feel accustomed to how shooting works." "***light chuckle* **That's called being a natural, Feli. You must have some good dexterity in those hands and arms." "I… guess so." "Follow me, I'll take you to where you'll be assigned the rescue mission." He led me to a helicopter that flew us to an island in the middle of the ocean. As we landed, I took in the interesting building that stood tall in front of me. "Feli, this must be the main sector of INTERPUYO. Are you ready to convince them that you are qualified? It won't be easy." "Heh. I think I can do it…" "I like you… You have guts and charisma, the best surprises tend to come from small packages. Now, let's get inside." We entered the building and Jace talked to the front receptionist. A while later, a man and a woman came to us. "You are Feli, yes?" The man looked at me. "Uh yes, that would be me…" I confirmed. "Come with us." He said. "I'll head back to Suzuran now, Feli. I don't have any further business being here." Jaced walked away.

I didn't say anything to him, only seeing him leave the building. I followed the man and woman for a few minutes before entering a room. "Go ahead, sit down." The woman lightly shoved me inside. I took a seat and the two closed the door behind them. "I think we should introduce ourselves… You can call me Major Zeke." The man bowed. "And I am Diana, Feli." The woman followed. "Nice… to meet you, sir and ma'am." I spoke with a little anxiety. "Not much of a talker huh?" The major assumed. "Uh... oh no, sir. I do talk… it's just that I've never done something like this before." I admitted. "That's understandable, dear. You look quite young, how old are you?" Diana wondered. "I'm… fifteen. I know it may seem strange, but… I WAS the person that Jace recommended." I said. "That's fine, I can trust Jace's choice in this instance. Going back to us… I will give you your mission objective and help locate where the band of borderline terrorists are. Diana here is your tech support. She will provide you with the necessary gear to stealth your way to completing that very objective." Zeke detailed. "Here, take this." Diana handed me. "What is it…?" I grabbed the object. "This is a codec radio; a small earpiece and microphone that transmits sound to the tiny bones in your ear. Whatever is spoken through the earpiece, only you will be able to hear it. We'll occasionally call you if a situation requires it. If you ever need to call us through it during your mission, you use one of two frequencies." The woman explained. "Feli, do you have a good sense of memory?" Zeke approached me. "I do, for the most part." I told him. "Then, my frequency is 140.85." He gave me. "And mine is 141.80." Diana gave hers. "Okay. What now?" I nodded. "Before I can bring to you your mission objective, we have to come up with a codename for you." The major brought up. "A… codename? Why?" I asked him. "You'll understand why when I explain it here: A codename serves as a form of protection for your identity. In the case of something going awry… it would be bad if those people were to use your name to blackmail you into submission. Trust me, it's much safer to have yourself go by a codename for missions like this." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "It… makes sense, I suppose." I agreed to the idea. "How about… we refer to you as _"Iguana_?" He suggested. "Iguana…?" I raised an eyebrow. "You know, named after a kind of lizard." Zeke pushed the envelope. "Major, don't you think that possible codename is a little too tacky? I think I have a better one for her. Feli, what do you think of _"Chameleon"_ It's still the name of a lizard, but one that focuses on stealth." Diana proposed. "Chameleon… yeah, I think that can work…" I slowly nodded. "Then it's settled! From now on, we will refer to you as Chameleon during this mission." Major Zeke established.

He then summarized the details of the mission for me: I am to infiltrate the criminal base, subdue the borderline terrorists, and rescue every single hostage. I must not be seen by the terrorists under any circumstance. And then, I must learn what they are hoping to gain out of taking people hostage, if possible. "Feli, here's a stealth suit for you. If you don't like the color.. then too bad, these only come in navy blue for a reason. Before you ask why, I'll tell you that reason. Are you familiar with what a ninja does?" Zeke handed me. "Roughly… I visited Japan for some downtime recently, albeit, not much. My boyfriend got ill from eating sushi, in case you were wondering why. But yeah… I saw bits of ninja things here and there, but nothing concrete." I crossed my arms. "Ninjas live in the shadows when they infiltrate places. For this mission, you are going to be sneaking around the criminals' base tonight. Luckily, the sky is supposed to be clear-ish, to partly cloudy. Wearing an entirely navy blue outfit allows you to blend into the night sky better. That's IF the sky itself isn't polluted and pitch-black…" He added. "So that's why it only comes in navy blue…" I stretched. "We are currently in the process of developing a stealth suit that automatically blends into anything, but it has been taking us years…" Diana disclosed. "I'm sure something that complicated takes a lot of time to whip up." I nodded. "Well, once we finish the first one under ideal conditions… it'll be easy to reproduce. Until night falls, feel free to mentally prepare yourself." Zeke finished. _Hm… I should really take that sentence seriously. After all, not everybody can handle this kind of stress. And no sane person can fire even a tranquilizer without thinking of the consequences. But… I think I can make an arrangement to be slightly heartless to the criminals, all without them knowing my presence. Time to wait for subduing to ensue by my hands…_

**Dave's POV **

I arrived at the tunnel, with a couple of new faces joining the fray. "Good, it looks like most of us arrived just fine." Accord said after taking a short glance at me. "Ms. Accord… this whole turn of events has been scary." Amitie shook. "I-I agree, that fact that Sig was taken over for some time by that Yog thing…" Lidelle stopped. "I dunno what to make of it happening to me." Sig scratched his head. Accord just looked at them, appearing to feel their emotions. "Look, as soon as all of the Yogs are out of commission… Yoggus will be formed and we can lure out Yog Swartus being formed, or whatever equivalent of it appears before us." Satan informed everyone. "Tch. Regardless, it's going to be a lot harder than it sounds… even with all of us together. And remember, we STILL don't have the ore we supposedly need for my new sword." Schezo pointed out. "..." Everyone stood in silence. For a minute, none of us said a word. "But… after going all this way, there's no way that we can just give up. I REFUSE to let these bastards have their way!" Schezo broke the silence. "Sch-Schezo…!" We uttered. "... Do not get the wrong idea here, everyone… I only want to live for myself. But to do that, we must forge an alliance. In doing so… it'll give us the chance that we have been seeking. When my new blade is made… we'll quickly hunt any remaining Yogs down. We don't need to hurry with that right now, because it'll be reckless." Schezo ended his speech. "That was... well said, Schezo! What happened to you? You sound… different." Arle walked over to him. "Arle, something that Dave said to me changed who I am… just a little though. I want to do productive things in my life. Before, I just rested in my cave constantly, wasting my days away. I didn't even do much of anything that would be considered beneficial. I only did things that would make me look selfish or relieve me of annoyances. That was me, Schezo Wegey from the past; now though, I want to at least return the favors to others who helped me. What we are doing now is a case of that. I must return the favor to Dave for helping me see things differently. However, at the end of the day, I still don't like him. I won't lie, he has continuously made me jealous of his power... and his disgusting levels of kindness towards certain people. I'm still only doing this out of expected courtesy, for my new sword, and to eliminate the Yogs. Do you understand, Arle? I am not a hero, I am not kind, and most certainly… I am NOT anything like Dave. And, when this is all over… I will try, more than ever before, to seize your magical power; then, I will make it my own. After that… Dave! I WILL defeat you in a fight and assert my dominance over you. I will not be written off as a weakling or joke for any longer." He pointed at Arle first, then me. "..." I stood. "... Do you not have anything to comment on, Dave?" He walked around me. "... No. No I don't, Schezo. You are free to say all of that, but it'll be a challenge at the very least to defeat me. I can assure you of that…" I told him. "Heh. That's the kind of thing that I'm hoping for." He smirked. "If you guys are done bickering, we need to find that Yog." Ex snapped his fingers. "Yes, that would be the most important thing to do right now." Accord nodded. "Rulue has filled me in on everything, so I'll help out as much as I can." Minotauros readied his axe. "Just... don't get yourself banged up too much, Mino." Rulue said to him. "I know…" He sighed. "These Yogs must not be allowed to do as they please... my psychokinesis will put them away." Yui rolled her hand into a fist. "I-I want to live a happy life, not one f-full those Yogs causing chaos…" Lidelle stuttered. "These things should die." Sig stated very bluntly. "I don't care if I have to kick them in the tear duct, they'll suffer pain for messing up our world!" Raffina stomped. "These unruly… cretins should know their place." Klug adjusted his glasses. "Agreed." Tarutaru nodded to Klug. "We must save our world for the sake of everybody!" Amitie chimed. "To the Puyo Underworld they go, for eternal punishment." Satan looked off in the distance. "I want everybody to be able to live life how they want to, not experience something shitty like this." Ringo stood up. "I must redeem myself by helping out as much as I can." Witch whipped out her broom. "I want more fun adventures and to still eat the godsend that is curry. And of course, enjoy them both with Carby." Arle straightened clothes out. "Gu gugu!" Carbuncle jumped. "No other person or thing should tell anybody how to live life… I intend on making those giant sacks of eyelids see that." I cracked my knuckles. "Now… the issue here is FINDING the Yog. Where do we search for it?" Rulue turned her head left and right. "..." Nobody said a word in response. That was the case before a new voice came through. "Nohoho… are you guys looking for a giant floating eyeball? I've seen one around lately, near my home." A human-sized frog paced toward us with a ball by his side. "Who are you?" Amitie asked him. "I am simply known as Nohoho, a traveling merchant of sorts. Say, aren't you…?" He glanced over at Arle. "Oh, um… it's been a while, Nohoho… Hehehe…" Arle laughed awkwardly. "It has been far too long since we last met. I can see that you've grown up into an adult." The frog noticed. "Y-you said that you saw a giant floating eyeball near your home, right? Could you show us." She asked of the frog. "Sure. But, it's going to cost you some gold for that." He nodded. "***sigh* **How much are we talking?" Schezo felt slightly annoyed. "Thirty-five gold. No more, no less." Nohoho established. "Fine. Take this." Satan tossed a small bag next to where Nohoho stood. "Nohoho… this is perfect. Alright, follow me." He grabbed the bag and urged us to walk behind him.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dave was able to get Draco a cell phone, for the sake of maintaining contact. After some time spent in the woods together, a human-sized bird ambushed our main hero. This feathered individual presented himself as Hohow Bird, the supposed hero of justice for Primp Town. He noticed Draco, who was told by him that she violated the rule that stated the following: Only birds can fly about in Primp Town. Dave lashed out, regarding how no one person or thing ever mentioned this rule. As the argument progressed, Hohow Bird captured Draco and told Dave that if he wanted her to be free, he would have to participate and win in a fighting tournament on the very next day. In his mind, Dave vowed to free Draco from this ridiculous situation. Arriving at the tunnel, he noticed that everyone else who could make it came. Schezo made a speech of sorts, showing his level of change to anybody who hadn't seen it before then. This made everyone feel more willing and determined to defeat the Yogs. But without a way of tracking the second one down, the group remained silent before a new voice emerged. The frog, Nohoho, mentioned that he saw a giant floating eyeball near his home. He was willing to show them where, for a price. Satan chucked a bag of gold next to where Nohoho stood. With our huge party now following behind this amphibian merchant, it's only a matter of time before a fight will ensue. Next chapter, Chapter 49: The Second Yog.**


End file.
